Almost a year in Chch...
May 12th 2014, 12:32 am
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2013
Location: Christchurch, NZ
Posts: 54
Almost a year in Chch...
When we were researching leaving the UK, I spent a fair amount of time on here reading stories as I am sure everyone does. So in the interest of fairness here is our first year story...(these are our views from our family experience over the last year)
So we arrived at the end of May 2013, we came in on the last flight from Brisbane and landed just before midnight. It was freezing cold, pouring with rain and pitch black!! We hadnt actually ever been to Christchurch before and had to then drive a hire car to our bach in Parklands - an interesting trip, particularly as we just didnt realise the gravity of the earthquake damage!(many roads were closed at the time)
Anyway we decided to get some sleep and assess the situation in the morning. Next morning we were astounded by the beautiful views (beaches and mountains) and set about getting ourselves set up in Chch. We initially lived in an apartment in the cbd and then moved to Sumner. We loved living in Sumner but after 8 months our lease was up and we felt it was time to find somewhere more suitable for the long term (rentals in sumner are very expensive!), so we packed up searched around and eventually decided to move out to Pegasus.
So these are the points I would consider if I was now back in the UK thinking about moving to Chch, (we came from central Bristol to Chch)
Lifestyle:
NZ is a beautiful place to live, children have far more freedom and the opportunity to experience far more activities etc than they would have had at home. Food = yes possibly a bit more expensive (although I think that depends on where you were living in UK and how you shopped for food), from my point of view food is fresher and as long as you cook seasonally the cost is no different. I think the food is better here, but the choices are possibly more limited.
We wanted to really get and explore so most weekends we jumped in the car and headed off around South Island. We have now driven just about everywhere on South island and have had some amazing experiences - which had a very low cost. The best experience of all is definately seeing the seal pups colony by the waterfall past Kaikoura. Other than petrol, completely free!
Work:
If you have an in demand career and have job offers before leaving then great. My husband absolutely loves working here and calls NZ the land of opportunities. Certainly the company he works for are very supportive and really look after their staff. I have worked for a number of blue chip corporates in the UK and have never seen such amazing support given to staff. However that is one company, we dont have any experience with others in NZ.
Partners finding work -most of the expat partners I have met along the way and indeed a number of kiwis, have had extreme difficulty finding work in Chch. This is particularly difficult if you can only work part time. This has become a huge issu for us as a family, as I found myself leaving a good career in the UK to become, essentially a housewife. Whilst some partners may not want to work, if you do think very carefully and research to see if jobs are available. We did research and spoke to various people who all told us I would easily find work based on my CV. However the jobs are just not in Chch. The problem for partners, is everyone I met (and myself) became bored not working. Some have been able to secure full time jobs but finding part time work is very difficult. I was lucky to find a little work sub contracting on a self employed basis, but it isnt enough to keep me occupied in the long term...
Cost of set up and rental property -
We massively underestimated the cost of setting up here in NZ. We had a lump sum from sale of property in the UK, which we hoped to keep for a deposit on a house here in NZ. The cost of setting up over a year has drained our entire savings. We were unfortunate in that we just couldnt find a rental when we arrived so took the first one we could, which was way more than our budget (we were paying 700 per week, budgeted 500) but at the time there just wasnt anything around and our 4 weeks paid accomodation from the employer had run out. Whilst we paid a high price, we did have the opportunity to live somewhere beautiful - however the cost ate into savings. We didnt bring much in the container, in hindsight we should have brought all furniture etc - we did bring some but ended up buying alot more. As I mentioned above we have now moved out to Pegasus, which is beautiful, cheaper but has the disadvantage of a horrendeous commute into the cbd...
I have some work as a relocation consultant for migrants moving to Chch, to date every client I have had, over the last 9 months, has had to increase their budget for rentals. There is a huge availability issue due to supply and demand from the earthquake damage and influx of people to work on rebuild. One kiwi client from Auckland, he said the rentals here in chch for a single person (bedsit/1bed flat) were as expensive as Ponsonby in Auckland.
Friends - it isnt easy making new friends. You really do need to put yourself out there and find them which is possible, but requires alot of effort.
Cars - very expensive, we considered importing one of our cars and regret not doing that now. I have met people who tried to cope without buying cars in Chch, but they all bought cars in the end. It isnt an easy city to navigate without a car (there are buses etc but cars far easier)
City life:
For us, we thought we would like to live somewhere much more rural and smaller. In fact we have come to realise, that whilst we do enjoy our life here, we really miss the big city and everything that comes with that. Horses for courses, but if you like having all the facilities of a big UK city, then think carefully about South Island/Christchurch.
Overview for our family:
Christchurch/South Island, is an amazing place. But like anything there will always be pros and cons. For us, we miss friends and family, City life (ie local pub atmosphere/ being able to walk/get taxis and go on a night out)(nb you can do this but not to the same degree as in UK) and having the advantage of a quick cheap package holiday to europe...
On the other hand we have had a fantastic year seeing things we never thought we would and enjoying a healthy outdoor lifestyle with our son. We love life in NZ and have absolutely no intention of returning to the UK. For us its just a case of finding the right place to live in NZ.......
So we arrived at the end of May 2013, we came in on the last flight from Brisbane and landed just before midnight. It was freezing cold, pouring with rain and pitch black!! We hadnt actually ever been to Christchurch before and had to then drive a hire car to our bach in Parklands - an interesting trip, particularly as we just didnt realise the gravity of the earthquake damage!(many roads were closed at the time)
Anyway we decided to get some sleep and assess the situation in the morning. Next morning we were astounded by the beautiful views (beaches and mountains) and set about getting ourselves set up in Chch. We initially lived in an apartment in the cbd and then moved to Sumner. We loved living in Sumner but after 8 months our lease was up and we felt it was time to find somewhere more suitable for the long term (rentals in sumner are very expensive!), so we packed up searched around and eventually decided to move out to Pegasus.
So these are the points I would consider if I was now back in the UK thinking about moving to Chch, (we came from central Bristol to Chch)
Lifestyle:
NZ is a beautiful place to live, children have far more freedom and the opportunity to experience far more activities etc than they would have had at home. Food = yes possibly a bit more expensive (although I think that depends on where you were living in UK and how you shopped for food), from my point of view food is fresher and as long as you cook seasonally the cost is no different. I think the food is better here, but the choices are possibly more limited.
We wanted to really get and explore so most weekends we jumped in the car and headed off around South Island. We have now driven just about everywhere on South island and have had some amazing experiences - which had a very low cost. The best experience of all is definately seeing the seal pups colony by the waterfall past Kaikoura. Other than petrol, completely free!
Work:
If you have an in demand career and have job offers before leaving then great. My husband absolutely loves working here and calls NZ the land of opportunities. Certainly the company he works for are very supportive and really look after their staff. I have worked for a number of blue chip corporates in the UK and have never seen such amazing support given to staff. However that is one company, we dont have any experience with others in NZ.
Partners finding work -most of the expat partners I have met along the way and indeed a number of kiwis, have had extreme difficulty finding work in Chch. This is particularly difficult if you can only work part time. This has become a huge issu for us as a family, as I found myself leaving a good career in the UK to become, essentially a housewife. Whilst some partners may not want to work, if you do think very carefully and research to see if jobs are available. We did research and spoke to various people who all told us I would easily find work based on my CV. However the jobs are just not in Chch. The problem for partners, is everyone I met (and myself) became bored not working. Some have been able to secure full time jobs but finding part time work is very difficult. I was lucky to find a little work sub contracting on a self employed basis, but it isnt enough to keep me occupied in the long term...
Cost of set up and rental property -
We massively underestimated the cost of setting up here in NZ. We had a lump sum from sale of property in the UK, which we hoped to keep for a deposit on a house here in NZ. The cost of setting up over a year has drained our entire savings. We were unfortunate in that we just couldnt find a rental when we arrived so took the first one we could, which was way more than our budget (we were paying 700 per week, budgeted 500) but at the time there just wasnt anything around and our 4 weeks paid accomodation from the employer had run out. Whilst we paid a high price, we did have the opportunity to live somewhere beautiful - however the cost ate into savings. We didnt bring much in the container, in hindsight we should have brought all furniture etc - we did bring some but ended up buying alot more. As I mentioned above we have now moved out to Pegasus, which is beautiful, cheaper but has the disadvantage of a horrendeous commute into the cbd...
I have some work as a relocation consultant for migrants moving to Chch, to date every client I have had, over the last 9 months, has had to increase their budget for rentals. There is a huge availability issue due to supply and demand from the earthquake damage and influx of people to work on rebuild. One kiwi client from Auckland, he said the rentals here in chch for a single person (bedsit/1bed flat) were as expensive as Ponsonby in Auckland.
Friends - it isnt easy making new friends. You really do need to put yourself out there and find them which is possible, but requires alot of effort.
Cars - very expensive, we considered importing one of our cars and regret not doing that now. I have met people who tried to cope without buying cars in Chch, but they all bought cars in the end. It isnt an easy city to navigate without a car (there are buses etc but cars far easier)
City life:
For us, we thought we would like to live somewhere much more rural and smaller. In fact we have come to realise, that whilst we do enjoy our life here, we really miss the big city and everything that comes with that. Horses for courses, but if you like having all the facilities of a big UK city, then think carefully about South Island/Christchurch.
Overview for our family:
Christchurch/South Island, is an amazing place. But like anything there will always be pros and cons. For us, we miss friends and family, City life (ie local pub atmosphere/ being able to walk/get taxis and go on a night out)(nb you can do this but not to the same degree as in UK) and having the advantage of a quick cheap package holiday to europe...
On the other hand we have had a fantastic year seeing things we never thought we would and enjoying a healthy outdoor lifestyle with our son. We love life in NZ and have absolutely no intention of returning to the UK. For us its just a case of finding the right place to live in NZ.......
May 12th 2014, 7:53 am
#2
She'll be right
Joined: Sep 2012
Location: Near the beach, NZ
Posts: 1,498
Re: Almost a year in Chch...
Agree with a lot of your sentiments bellebelle! One of my favourite bits about NZ is being able to pick up and drive off someone really great at minimal cost.
I'm out near Pegasus, if you fancy a coffee sometime let me know
May 12th 2014, 7:59 am
#3
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 80
Re: Almost a year in Chch...
Nice update.
We are 4 Months in and could have almost written that update ourselves, word for word. (Especially about 'panic renting' when the 4 week employer thing is up!!).
We did the opposite in some ways, as I was commuting from Kent into London every day and it killed me. I was adamant that I would have less of a commute and love my 20 minute commute from Cashmere, so (un!)happily paying the $200 per week extra.
We are heading into our first Winter, so fingers crossed will be ok with out heat pumps. My guage is "is it as cold, miserable and damp as the UK" so think I will be fine....
We are 4 Months in and could have almost written that update ourselves, word for word. (Especially about 'panic renting' when the 4 week employer thing is up!!).
We did the opposite in some ways, as I was commuting from Kent into London every day and it killed me. I was adamant that I would have less of a commute and love my 20 minute commute from Cashmere, so (un!)happily paying the $200 per week extra.
We are heading into our first Winter, so fingers crossed will be ok with out heat pumps. My guage is "is it as cold, miserable and damp as the UK" so think I will be fine....
May 12th 2014, 8:50 am
#4
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2013
Location: Christchurch, NZ
Posts: 54
May 12th 2014, 8:50 am
#5
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 567
Re: Almost a year in Chch...
Thanks for the update, it sounds like you had a realistic view of emigration and have managed to settle well due to that.
Interesting about the partners employment prospects. It reinforces that starting retraining for a new, self employed career this week was a right choice for me as I'll be in the same boat.
I'm not sure we'll want to spend the rest of our lives in the south so the rental property pricing is interesting. I keep an eye on Trade Me and the RealEstate and there always seems to be quite a lot of rental properties there but I often wonder are they in flood zones and earthquake damaged or are they liveable in without major health concerns.
Reinforcement that taking everything is also good. We're just finishing the renovation of two Art Deco wardrobes complete with engraving and ornate laminate inlay. Most of our furniture will outlive us and has been lovingly restored by MrH and I so we'd hate to leave it behind.
Do you think that, now you've driven everywhere, you'll become bored or will you just keep revisiting your favourite places as they're so good?
I'm slightly concerned about the commute from Pegasus being horrendous as we're looking at Rangiora/ and Oxford. Rangiora is many less miles than we do just now as a commute and Oxford is similar. How long does it take from Pegasus? Is the main hold up once you reach Christchurch and all the roadworks and diversions?
Interesting about the partners employment prospects. It reinforces that starting retraining for a new, self employed career this week was a right choice for me as I'll be in the same boat.
I'm not sure we'll want to spend the rest of our lives in the south so the rental property pricing is interesting. I keep an eye on Trade Me and the RealEstate and there always seems to be quite a lot of rental properties there but I often wonder are they in flood zones and earthquake damaged or are they liveable in without major health concerns.
Reinforcement that taking everything is also good. We're just finishing the renovation of two Art Deco wardrobes complete with engraving and ornate laminate inlay. Most of our furniture will outlive us and has been lovingly restored by MrH and I so we'd hate to leave it behind.
Do you think that, now you've driven everywhere, you'll become bored or will you just keep revisiting your favourite places as they're so good?
I'm slightly concerned about the commute from Pegasus being horrendous as we're looking at Rangiora/ and Oxford. Rangiora is many less miles than we do just now as a commute and Oxford is similar. How long does it take from Pegasus? Is the main hold up once you reach Christchurch and all the roadworks and diversions?
May 12th 2014, 8:54 am
#6
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2013
Location: Christchurch, NZ
Posts: 54
Re: Almost a year in Chch...
Nice update.
We are 4 Months in and could have almost written that update ourselves, word for word. (Especially about 'panic renting' when the 4 week employer thing is up!!).
We did the opposite in some ways, as I was commuting from Kent into London every day and it killed me. I was adamant that I would have less of a commute and love my 20 minute commute from Cashmere, so (un!)happily paying the $200 per week extra.
We are heading into our first Winter, so fingers crossed will be ok with out heat pumps. My guage is "is it as cold, miserable and damp as the UK" so think I will be fine....
We are 4 Months in and could have almost written that update ourselves, word for word. (Especially about 'panic renting' when the 4 week employer thing is up!!).
We did the opposite in some ways, as I was commuting from Kent into London every day and it killed me. I was adamant that I would have less of a commute and love my 20 minute commute from Cashmere, so (un!)happily paying the $200 per week extra.
We are heading into our first Winter, so fingers crossed will be ok with out heat pumps. My guage is "is it as cold, miserable and damp as the UK" so think I will be fine....
Enjoy your first winter and get out to the mountains - fantastic!
May 12th 2014, 9:09 am
#7
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2013
Location: Christchurch, NZ
Posts: 54
Re: Almost a year in Chch...
Do you think that, now you've driven everywhere, you'll become bored or will you just keep revisiting your favourite places as they're so good?
I'm slightly concerned about the commute from Pegasus being horrendous as we're looking at Rangiora/ and Oxford. Rangiora is many less miles than we do just now as a commute and Oxford is similar. How long does it take from Pegasus? Is the main hold up once you reach Christchurch and all the roadworks and diversions?[/QUOTE]
Hi
re driving around; in some cases no not bored, have now visited Queenstown a few times and love it there anytime of year. But I think we are travellers anyway, having lived in various places around the world and even when we were living at home were always off on adventures...
Re Rangiora/Pegasus/Oxford - we live in Peagsus, however my son goes to pre school in Rangiora so sometimes we drop him at pre school and then drive into the cbd. If doing that we drop at the earliest time, 7am, then head out of Rangiora and on to the motorway. To be honest its pretty bad. Last time I did the trip, I left the preschool (which is on the main road out of Rangiora to mway) bang on 7am and got to Chch hospital just before 9am. Other days its not so bad but in the morning it always takes my husband a min of 45mins/1hr. (He leaves at 6.30am latest). Way home is about an hour if you leave between 4ish and 6pm. One of my husbands colleagues lives in Oxford he can do it in an hour via back roads. Depends what you want to achieve really, North Canterbury is lovely and the commute is generally outweighed by benefits of lifestyle. For us the commute has unfortunately considerably reduced family time, which is a contradiction in terms (as we moved to Pegasus for the family lifestyle!!) Think carefully...
I'm slightly concerned about the commute from Pegasus being horrendous as we're looking at Rangiora/ and Oxford. Rangiora is many less miles than we do just now as a commute and Oxford is similar. How long does it take from Pegasus? Is the main hold up once you reach Christchurch and all the roadworks and diversions?[/QUOTE]
Hi
re driving around; in some cases no not bored, have now visited Queenstown a few times and love it there anytime of year. But I think we are travellers anyway, having lived in various places around the world and even when we were living at home were always off on adventures...
Re Rangiora/Pegasus/Oxford - we live in Peagsus, however my son goes to pre school in Rangiora so sometimes we drop him at pre school and then drive into the cbd. If doing that we drop at the earliest time, 7am, then head out of Rangiora and on to the motorway. To be honest its pretty bad. Last time I did the trip, I left the preschool (which is on the main road out of Rangiora to mway) bang on 7am and got to Chch hospital just before 9am. Other days its not so bad but in the morning it always takes my husband a min of 45mins/1hr. (He leaves at 6.30am latest). Way home is about an hour if you leave between 4ish and 6pm. One of my husbands colleagues lives in Oxford he can do it in an hour via back roads. Depends what you want to achieve really, North Canterbury is lovely and the commute is generally outweighed by benefits of lifestyle. For us the commute has unfortunately considerably reduced family time, which is a contradiction in terms (as we moved to Pegasus for the family lifestyle!!) Think carefully...
May 12th 2014, 10:47 pm
#8
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2014
Location: Sydney / Christchurch
Posts: 192
Re: Almost a year in Chch...
Is the commute really that bad?
I'd be commuting from there to Addington if we decide to set up base there. I visited the town yesterday and it looked really lovely. I showed the pictures and camera footage I took to the wife and kids back home in England - it looks beautiful. I'd have to take up tennis, golf and kayaking - having that within a walking distance is probably something most would dream of.
I did hear it's quite expensive mind to set up. Some people I spoke to informed me that Vodafone are the only communications company you can set up internet with? Are Vodafone NZ as bad as Vodafone UK?
Is the place also ok for those with partners who decide not to work? My salary could easily give us a happy life without her working but I don't want her to be bored. She loves swimming but I couldn't see anywhere in Pegasus for that bar the beach and the lake. How come you send your kid to the preschool in Rangiora, is the one in Pegasus not good?
I had a fabulous curry at Curry En Route in Woodend mind. It's always important for a good Indian to be nearby.
I'd be commuting from there to Addington if we decide to set up base there. I visited the town yesterday and it looked really lovely. I showed the pictures and camera footage I took to the wife and kids back home in England - it looks beautiful. I'd have to take up tennis, golf and kayaking - having that within a walking distance is probably something most would dream of.
I did hear it's quite expensive mind to set up. Some people I spoke to informed me that Vodafone are the only communications company you can set up internet with? Are Vodafone NZ as bad as Vodafone UK?
Is the place also ok for those with partners who decide not to work? My salary could easily give us a happy life without her working but I don't want her to be bored. She loves swimming but I couldn't see anywhere in Pegasus for that bar the beach and the lake. How come you send your kid to the preschool in Rangiora, is the one in Pegasus not good?
I had a fabulous curry at Curry En Route in Woodend mind. It's always important for a good Indian to be nearby.
May 12th 2014, 10:56 pm
#9
She'll be right
Joined: Sep 2012
Location: Near the beach, NZ
Posts: 1,498
Re: Almost a year in Chch...
I can't speak for anyone else but I can't see us being bored for many years! I guess it depends on what you enjoy doing. I have a list of places just on the South Island that I want to visit. If we do one weekend away per month the list will take us a while to get through! I've been back to some places a few times and there's always something different going on. You can visit just one place but do lots of different walks, bike tracks etc in that one place. Landscapes change a lot depending on the season and weather on that day. Some of the vineyards are stunning in autumn with the yellows, reds and orange colours. Driving through Arthur's Pass in winter is just stunning with snow capped mountains. Then there's North Island to explore, Ozzy, South Pacific Islands etc.
In regards to the commute it's pretty bad at the moment when driving from North Cantabs. We (luckily) get away with commuting outside of rush hour, which helps dramatically. If you don't have that option then I agree with Bella - seriously think about how the commute will affect you and your family time together. You could always stay out in Rangiora and drive the commute to see if you can cope with it or not.
In regards to the commute it's pretty bad at the moment when driving from North Cantabs. We (luckily) get away with commuting outside of rush hour, which helps dramatically. If you don't have that option then I agree with Bella - seriously think about how the commute will affect you and your family time together. You could always stay out in Rangiora and drive the commute to see if you can cope with it or not.
May 12th 2014, 10:57 pm
#10
She'll be right
Joined: Sep 2012
Location: Near the beach, NZ
Posts: 1,498
May 12th 2014, 11:05 pm
#11
`
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 38,612
Re: Almost a year in Chch...
Quality update bellebellec1 & thanks for sharing. Have some BE karma.
From what you have written, you've made a great start and I will you all the best with your new lives in NZ ,wherever you finally settle.
From what you have written, you've made a great start and I will you all the best with your new lives in NZ ,wherever you finally settle.
May 12th 2014, 11:07 pm
#12
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2013
Location: Christchurch, NZ
Posts: 54
Re: Almost a year in Chch...
Is the commute really that bad?
I'd be commuting from there to Addington if we decide to set up base there. I visited the town yesterday and it looked really lovely. I showed the pictures and camera footage I took to the wife and kids back home in England - it looks beautiful. I'd have to take up tennis, golf and kayaking - having that within a walking distance is probably something most would dream of.
I did hear it's quite expensive mind to set up. Some people I spoke to informed me that Vodafone are the only communications company you can set up internet with? Are Vodafone NZ as bad as Vodafone UK?
Is the place also ok for those with partners who decide not to work? My salary could easily give us a happy life without her working but I don't want her to be bored. She loves swimming but I couldn't see anywhere in Pegasus for that bar the beach and the lake. How come you send your kid to the preschool in Rangiora, is the one in Pegasus not good?
I had a fabulous curry at Curry En Route in Woodend mind. It's always important for a good Indian to be nearby.
I'd be commuting from there to Addington if we decide to set up base there. I visited the town yesterday and it looked really lovely. I showed the pictures and camera footage I took to the wife and kids back home in England - it looks beautiful. I'd have to take up tennis, golf and kayaking - having that within a walking distance is probably something most would dream of.
I did hear it's quite expensive mind to set up. Some people I spoke to informed me that Vodafone are the only communications company you can set up internet with? Are Vodafone NZ as bad as Vodafone UK?
Is the place also ok for those with partners who decide not to work? My salary could easily give us a happy life without her working but I don't want her to be bored. She loves swimming but I couldn't see anywhere in Pegasus for that bar the beach and the lake. How come you send your kid to the preschool in Rangiora, is the one in Pegasus not good?
I had a fabulous curry at Curry En Route in Woodend mind. It's always important for a good Indian to be nearby.
My husband works on Lincoln rd in Addington....we knew the commute would be quite bad but estimated around an hour. It really depends when you leave and how flexible your employer is! Most people we know in Pegasus now leave between 6-6.30am in order to get in within 45 mins. So what has happened to us is he leaves around 6am and comes home around 6/7pm - so meaning some days he doesnt even see our son. However we have some flex for him to come home earlier if gets in early (in reality this doesnt really work due to meetings etc. Leaving at 5pm means getting back around 6ish)
Dont get me wrong, Pegasus is a fantastic place for families but having personally come from living in a big city, I have found it very isolating in the week when kids are at school and husband at work. Bear in mind, there are no shops etc here so you do need to go to Rangiora/Kaiapoi for shopping etc - not far but annoying at 7pm when you realise you need to get something....(again this is a personal view)
I call Pegasus "pomasus" because it is absolutely full of poms - there is a nice community here, but we find it a little like little britain and that isnt what we came for. In Sumner aka "Pomner" we actually didnt have any pom neighbours and was really nice to get involved with the local kiwi community....
As regards set up, yes you can only use vodafone for phone and broadband. They also offer cable TV but I believe you can get that from sky with a dish (but check because there are various covenants on properties here). I have found them ok to deal with but you do have to be very vigilant with the bills. Every bill we had was incorrect!!!
Look the weekend lifestyle in Pegasus is fab, with all the activities. But its very lonely in the week. Depends what your wife is like as a person. We are lucky, I dont need to work and the plan wasnt for me to work but quite frankly I am bored silly - to the point we nearly split up over it. Fortunately we were able to sort it out, but if I had the choice I would leave. There are groups in the daytime and coffee mornings etc - but that just isnt my scene, I had a high level career in uk and miss that.
As regards pre school, this is a personal choice. Our son was enrolled in the pre school here but I took him out and moved him to Rangiora. Swimming - there is a fantastic pool in Rangiora, Dudley Park, thats where we go. She will definately need her own car if you chose Pegasus. I am happy to discuss this with your wife and the daytime stuff if she likes on PM. I also set up a facebook page for people to meet each other in Pegasus if you do decide to come here.
May 12th 2014, 11:16 pm
#13
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2013
Location: Christchurch, NZ
Posts: 54
May 13th 2014, 12:42 am
#14
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2014
Location: Sydney / Christchurch
Posts: 192
Re: Almost a year in Chch...
Hi Blade
My husband works on Lincoln rd in Addington....we knew the commute would be quite bad but estimated around an hour. It really depends when you leave and how flexible your employer is! Most people we know in Pegasus now leave between 6-6.30am in order to get in within 45 mins. So what has happened to us is he leaves around 6am and comes home around 6/7pm - so meaning some days he doesnt even see our son. However we have some flex for him to come home earlier if gets in early (in reality this doesnt really work due to meetings etc. Leaving at 5pm means getting back around 6ish)
Dont get me wrong, Pegasus is a fantastic place for families but having personally come from living in a big city, I have found it very isolating in the week when kids are at school and husband at work. Bear in mind, there are no shops etc here so you do need to go to Rangiora/Kaiapoi for shopping etc - not far but annoying at 7pm when you realise you need to get something....(again this is a personal view)
I call Pegasus "pomasus" because it is absolutely full of poms - there is a nice community here, but we find it a little like little britain and that isnt what we came for. In Sumner aka "Pomner" we actually didnt have any pom neighbours and was really nice to get involved with the local kiwi community....
As regards set up, yes you can only use vodafone for phone and broadband. They also offer cable TV but I believe you can get that from sky with a dish (but check because there are various covenants on properties here). I have found them ok to deal with but you do have to be very vigilant with the bills. Every bill we had was incorrect!!!
Look the weekend lifestyle in Pegasus is fab, with all the activities. But its very lonely in the week. Depends what your wife is like as a person. We are lucky, I dont need to work and the plan wasnt for me to work but quite frankly I am bored silly - to the point we nearly split up over it. Fortunately we were able to sort it out, but if I had the choice I would leave. There are groups in the daytime and coffee mornings etc - but that just isnt my scene, I had a high level career in uk and miss that.
As regards pre school, this is a personal choice. Our son was enrolled in the pre school here but I took him out and moved him to Rangiora. Swimming - there is a fantastic pool in Rangiora, Dudley Park, thats where we go. She will definately need her own car if you chose Pegasus. I am happy to discuss this with your wife and the daytime stuff if she likes on PM. I also set up a facebook page for people to meet each other in Pegasus if you do decide to come here.
My husband works on Lincoln rd in Addington....we knew the commute would be quite bad but estimated around an hour. It really depends when you leave and how flexible your employer is! Most people we know in Pegasus now leave between 6-6.30am in order to get in within 45 mins. So what has happened to us is he leaves around 6am and comes home around 6/7pm - so meaning some days he doesnt even see our son. However we have some flex for him to come home earlier if gets in early (in reality this doesnt really work due to meetings etc. Leaving at 5pm means getting back around 6ish)
Dont get me wrong, Pegasus is a fantastic place for families but having personally come from living in a big city, I have found it very isolating in the week when kids are at school and husband at work. Bear in mind, there are no shops etc here so you do need to go to Rangiora/Kaiapoi for shopping etc - not far but annoying at 7pm when you realise you need to get something....(again this is a personal view)
I call Pegasus "pomasus" because it is absolutely full of poms - there is a nice community here, but we find it a little like little britain and that isnt what we came for. In Sumner aka "Pomner" we actually didnt have any pom neighbours and was really nice to get involved with the local kiwi community....
As regards set up, yes you can only use vodafone for phone and broadband. They also offer cable TV but I believe you can get that from sky with a dish (but check because there are various covenants on properties here). I have found them ok to deal with but you do have to be very vigilant with the bills. Every bill we had was incorrect!!!
Look the weekend lifestyle in Pegasus is fab, with all the activities. But its very lonely in the week. Depends what your wife is like as a person. We are lucky, I dont need to work and the plan wasnt for me to work but quite frankly I am bored silly - to the point we nearly split up over it. Fortunately we were able to sort it out, but if I had the choice I would leave. There are groups in the daytime and coffee mornings etc - but that just isnt my scene, I had a high level career in uk and miss that.
As regards pre school, this is a personal choice. Our son was enrolled in the pre school here but I took him out and moved him to Rangiora. Swimming - there is a fantastic pool in Rangiora, Dudley Park, thats where we go. She will definately need her own car if you chose Pegasus. I am happy to discuss this with your wife and the daytime stuff if she likes on PM. I also set up a facebook page for people to meet each other in Pegasus if you do decide to come here.
Thanks for that
I'm sorry to hear about what happened with you and your husband but am glad it all worked out ok. If we needed my wife to get a job, she's a former sports fitness instructor. The point you have about the car is one of the reasons that puts Australia ahead of New Zealand. I can't compare Sydney to Christchurch but being someone that likes to do their bit for the world, I prefer a public transport commute. If push came to shove and I drove, I have seen there's a regular bus service from Rangiora to town. Whilst I work for a big company, I decide on my hours, the joys of doing two jobs in one.
Would you consider Australia and Sydney? Coming from Bristol, Sydney would be a nice place for you. It has it's positives and negatives like Christchurch. When I'm there from tomorrow onwards, I can have a word with people and see if anyone is recruiting your line of work.
Are you definitely going to move? If so, would you be renting your house out or would you be selling it? Just if I do decide to rent or buy here, I'm not doing Christchurch. The quality of housing available is not what I expected. I've seen cheap rentals around Linwood, St Albans, Addington and it seems more of the estate agents have recommended I look at buying in a newly developed suburb, hence visiting Pegasus.
I'll let my wife know about your opinions and she may get in contact with you. She knows someone that's moving to Pegasus at the end of this month, well she's friends with her sister who lives in England. She's keeping it quiet about us moving to New Zealand or Australia. I presume it helps if you know someone already there?
Thanks again, hope it works out for you!
May 13th 2014, 1:02 am
#15
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2013
Location: Christchurch, NZ
Posts: 54
Re: Almost a year in Chch...
Hi Belle
Thanks for that
I'm sorry to hear about what happened with you and your husband but am glad it all worked out ok. If we needed my wife to get a job, she's a former sports fitness instructor. The point you have about the car is one of the reasons that puts Australia ahead of New Zealand. I can't compare Sydney to Christchurch but being someone that likes to do their bit for the world, I prefer a public transport commute. If push came to shove and I drove, I have seen there's a regular bus service from Rangiora to town. Whilst I work for a big company, I decide on my hours, the joys of doing two jobs in one.
Would you consider Australia and Sydney? Coming from Bristol, Sydney would be a nice place for you. It has it's positives and negatives like Christchurch. When I'm there from tomorrow onwards, I can have a word with people and see if anyone is recruiting your line of work.
Are you definitely going to move? If so, would you be renting your house out or would you be selling it? Just if I do decide to rent or buy here, I'm not doing Christchurch. The quality of housing available is not what I expected. I've seen cheap rentals around Linwood, St Albans, Addington and it seems more of the estate agents have recommended I look at buying in a newly developed suburb, hence visiting Pegasus.
I'll let my wife know about your opinions and she may get in contact with you. She knows someone that's moving to Pegasus at the end of this month, well she's friends with her sister who lives in England. She's keeping it quiet about us moving to New Zealand or Australia. I presume it helps if you know someone already there?
Thanks again, hope it works out for you!
Thanks for that
I'm sorry to hear about what happened with you and your husband but am glad it all worked out ok. If we needed my wife to get a job, she's a former sports fitness instructor. The point you have about the car is one of the reasons that puts Australia ahead of New Zealand. I can't compare Sydney to Christchurch but being someone that likes to do their bit for the world, I prefer a public transport commute. If push came to shove and I drove, I have seen there's a regular bus service from Rangiora to town. Whilst I work for a big company, I decide on my hours, the joys of doing two jobs in one.
Would you consider Australia and Sydney? Coming from Bristol, Sydney would be a nice place for you. It has it's positives and negatives like Christchurch. When I'm there from tomorrow onwards, I can have a word with people and see if anyone is recruiting your line of work.
Are you definitely going to move? If so, would you be renting your house out or would you be selling it? Just if I do decide to rent or buy here, I'm not doing Christchurch. The quality of housing available is not what I expected. I've seen cheap rentals around Linwood, St Albans, Addington and it seems more of the estate agents have recommended I look at buying in a newly developed suburb, hence visiting Pegasus.
I'll let my wife know about your opinions and she may get in contact with you. She knows someone that's moving to Pegasus at the end of this month, well she's friends with her sister who lives in England. She's keeping it quiet about us moving to New Zealand or Australia. I presume it helps if you know someone already there?
Thanks again, hope it works out for you!
Yes we have actually lived in Aus before for 6 months, albeit we didnt work! I have family and we both have a number of close friends in Aus. We do have the option of transfer to Sydney or Brisbane. However we feel the work market isnt quite right at the moment for us (my husband is a civil engineer). We may well trans to Australia in the longer term. I think if you prefer public transport options then my suggestion re Pegasus, is stop overnight in the woodend motel (or somewhere similar), drive to Rangiora and catch bus to test!!! Although if you have complete flexibility then you could travel at non peak times. Its a shame they havent sorted the train line from Rangiora to Chch as that would be the best option...
We didnt buy here, when we arrived last year we decided to just rent for a while and decide further down the line. We did however sell our property in the UK, in hindsight I probably would have kept out UK property and rented it out. The only reason for that comment is investment purposes - the exchange rate wasnt great when we came and we ended up spending a huge amount of the proceeds!!!
Please do PM me if you want any more general info about Pegasus and/or the facebook pages for Pegasus (they are closed groups). I have a friend who is also a sports fitness instructor, she lives in Rangiora. She set up her own personal training business and is doing quite well. So if your wife did want to do something I am sure there would be opportunity in Pegasus.