12 years on
May 24th 2017, 9:38 pm
#1
Dorset to Dunedin
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: Dunedin SI
Posts: 457
12 years on
Blimey , not been on here for a few years, just been living an awesome life in New Zealand, into our 12th year.
Flew out from Poole Dorset may 21st landed in Dunedin and stayed in a rental in a wee village about 40 mins drive outside Dunedin for about 5 weeks.
What a roller coaster of a ride that was.
Had a few jobs after arriving but for the past 8 years I have been a prison officer and throughly enjoying it, into my 9th year now, even got a 7 year service bar, have gained loads of extra qualifications and joined a number of specialist teams.
My wife has jumped ship a couple of times , she mainly works in the mental health sector, not sure if it's a kiwi thing, but a lot of companies are not interested in looking after their decent staff, more interested in chopping your legs of instead of promoting them, tall poppy syndrom.
Our daughter came over when she was 8 and is now 20, she has been back to uk twice, but has now lived more of her life in nz, hated us when we first left and arrived, left all her friends etc , but is definitely settled into kiwi life, she is about to graduate from uni, and is in a student house with her kiwi boyfriend and pet pug.
We did manage to buy a house on 1 acre of land way out of town, no neighbours to worry about, water supplied by the rain, septic tank, no streetlights, no noise, we sit in our spa on the back deck and look at the mountain and the stars, wow how lucky we are.
Could not have bought a house like this in Dorset countryside, my inlaws moved here as well, came out on the grandparent scheme, they have been here Three years now, have just fitted radiators in their house, it's run off a pellet fired boiler, all there rooms are the same temperature.
If you come to NZ do not come here looking for little Britain , it is not and never will be, if you want to be able to buy land and a house without breaking the bank, then come down South Island , less people, less crime, less traffic , yes it's colder, but all the rest makes up for a nice cold winter, if you can afford it, the islands like Samoa , Rarotonga are only four hours away, for a winter escape, we are off to Samoa again this winter for a bit of fun in the sun.
We have travelled the south and north island with a few places left to visit, maybe as we get older we might move to north island , we do like Napier and last year nearly moved to Paihia far north, but for now we are settled into South Island life.
As for cost of living, everything has tripled in price since we came over , house prices are still affordable down south , but I would not like to try and buy a house in Auckland areas , why come here to end up with huge debt like the uk!.
Food has gone up, but tbh I think the good here is better quality ,meats are way better than uk, but the most of it depends on your lifestyle.
Down South Island you'll need to factor in about $6-800 a year for firewood, also depends on your house specs , insulation, glazing, we had our house double glazed, but tempature can still drop.
If you are thinking about doing to jump to NZ, go for it, what have you got to loose, do you want to be one of those people in a few years time saying , we should have done that, or should have gone?
Come and see , try something new and different , it's tough to leave family, but there are so many ways to talk to them nowadays, and if you can afford to, fly back for a holiday.
Good luck to those who are trying to get here or are in they're way.
Kia kaha
Nigel and karla and Martha , flew south
Flew out from Poole Dorset may 21st landed in Dunedin and stayed in a rental in a wee village about 40 mins drive outside Dunedin for about 5 weeks.
What a roller coaster of a ride that was.
Had a few jobs after arriving but for the past 8 years I have been a prison officer and throughly enjoying it, into my 9th year now, even got a 7 year service bar, have gained loads of extra qualifications and joined a number of specialist teams.
My wife has jumped ship a couple of times , she mainly works in the mental health sector, not sure if it's a kiwi thing, but a lot of companies are not interested in looking after their decent staff, more interested in chopping your legs of instead of promoting them, tall poppy syndrom.
Our daughter came over when she was 8 and is now 20, she has been back to uk twice, but has now lived more of her life in nz, hated us when we first left and arrived, left all her friends etc , but is definitely settled into kiwi life, she is about to graduate from uni, and is in a student house with her kiwi boyfriend and pet pug.
We did manage to buy a house on 1 acre of land way out of town, no neighbours to worry about, water supplied by the rain, septic tank, no streetlights, no noise, we sit in our spa on the back deck and look at the mountain and the stars, wow how lucky we are.
Could not have bought a house like this in Dorset countryside, my inlaws moved here as well, came out on the grandparent scheme, they have been here Three years now, have just fitted radiators in their house, it's run off a pellet fired boiler, all there rooms are the same temperature.
If you come to NZ do not come here looking for little Britain , it is not and never will be, if you want to be able to buy land and a house without breaking the bank, then come down South Island , less people, less crime, less traffic , yes it's colder, but all the rest makes up for a nice cold winter, if you can afford it, the islands like Samoa , Rarotonga are only four hours away, for a winter escape, we are off to Samoa again this winter for a bit of fun in the sun.
We have travelled the south and north island with a few places left to visit, maybe as we get older we might move to north island , we do like Napier and last year nearly moved to Paihia far north, but for now we are settled into South Island life.
As for cost of living, everything has tripled in price since we came over , house prices are still affordable down south , but I would not like to try and buy a house in Auckland areas , why come here to end up with huge debt like the uk!.
Food has gone up, but tbh I think the good here is better quality ,meats are way better than uk, but the most of it depends on your lifestyle.
Down South Island you'll need to factor in about $6-800 a year for firewood, also depends on your house specs , insulation, glazing, we had our house double glazed, but tempature can still drop.
If you are thinking about doing to jump to NZ, go for it, what have you got to loose, do you want to be one of those people in a few years time saying , we should have done that, or should have gone?
Come and see , try something new and different , it's tough to leave family, but there are so many ways to talk to them nowadays, and if you can afford to, fly back for a holiday.
Good luck to those who are trying to get here or are in they're way.
Kia kaha
Nigel and karla and Martha , flew south
Last edited by Fooferfish; May 24th 2017 at 11:16 pm.
May 25th 2017, 12:20 am
#2
Numpty
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 71
Re: 12 years on
Great Post Fooferfish 
I remember reading your posts before we left the UK, we are coming up on 11 years and still here despite losing our house to the CHCH earthquake and all the fallout from that.
As you say if you don't try it you will never know.
I remember reading your posts before we left the UK, we are coming up on 11 years and still here despite losing our house to the CHCH earthquake and all the fallout from that.
As you say if you don't try it you will never know.
May 25th 2017, 4:55 am
#3
Dorset to Dunedin
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: Dunedin SI
Posts: 457
Re: 12 years on
Wow you're a blast from the past, but good to hear you're still here in the land of the long white cloud , sorry to hear about your house, lots of my colleagues lost theirs to.
Well,done on your 11 years
Well,done on your 11 years
May 25th 2017, 9:22 am
#4
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Rotorua
Posts: 1,627
Re: 12 years on
May 28th 2017, 11:39 pm
#5
Here in Dunedin
Joined: May 2003
Location: Dunedin
Posts: 1,975
Re: 12 years on
Another great update Nige. Glad you're still enjoying life on the plains.
May 31st 2017, 7:42 am
#6
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: North Shore, Auckland
Posts: 688
Re: 12 years on
Good work Foof. Nice to hear your updates.
May 31st 2017, 11:49 pm
#7
She'll be right
Joined: Sep 2012
Location: Near the beach, NZ
Posts: 1,498
Re: 12 years on
Nice one Foofs, sounds like you've made a crackin' life for you and your family. Love this wee corner of the world too 
