BEVS

That's awful . I know its a very glib thing to write but could you think to move to a smaller community? It may be that you and yours are in the wrong place.
There been a bit of a surge in overseas ex-pats moving to the Nelson area of late. All Nationalities. Many of them seem to have started in Welly, Christchurch or Auckland and then settled on here to find the lifestyle they were looking for. Some have moved more than once it seems.
In our village, which is only half an hour / 20 minutes from two towns, the kids play out all the time. We know all our neighbours well. As you said, this place has a community feel to it.

garryhg

i think you've hit the nail on the head there bev................

we researched area and schools and we were convinced howick was the place for us

don't get me wrong its lovely here,clean,lovely beaches and the population is roughly 3,500 which is the same as back home,thats why we chose it,and the schools were high decile..........

but the area itself is just to built up for me,

to be perfectly honest...i think its me...i've just not adjusted yet.....
i will get there and stop moaning

i have to stop moaning about it not being like back home.because i'm not back home...

and thats why we moved here,to experience a different way of life,i have to embrace that instead of fighting against it

i should just look at the crime figures in britain and remind myself why we moved

RobClubley

Apart from friends and family what do I miss? Um. Nothing really.

Availablity of cheap good quality stuff (books, DVDs, clothes)
Car shows maybe.

Steve and the Dragon

Not there yet but missing the DFS Sale only joking!!!!

Beachcombers

"Proper" Pork Sausages (Yes, I know....). A decent pint.

That's it.

happynz

Taquerias. The Mexican food, what purportedly is Mexican food, doesn't quite cut it here. Expensive for what you get as well. A place opened up a few months ago with Mexican food and tequila as its theme. I looked at the menu and I saw they are asking something like NZ$20 for a burrito. Sure, a side of beans and rice with it, but still, at that price it had better be one damn fine burrito.

Other than the lack of Mexicans and their fantastic cuisine, New Zealand is OK for me and mine.

BEVS

Gammon. Non smoked rashers. Tasty duck and cheap turkey. Paxo stuffing. Phil misses being able to buy good cakes and doughnuts as the mood takes him.

I also miss the proximity to Europe & London with its galleries and museums. I miss history and easy ,quite cheap, access to 'events' like a concert, a sports event or just a show. We are a bit out of the way for that here in Nelson.
I miss the UK and European rugby.
Being able to afford to travel
My Bournemouth Bay beach . I love that place.
UK radio and drama.
Cheap books .
I also miss our UK earnings.

RobClubley

I wish our mortgage here was as small as it was in the UK! It was less than 45 grand there. It's er, more, here

P2L

BEV

We can get Paxo in the UK shop in Blenheim Think she may post it up to you if you phone her

As for the UK radio stuff, have you looked on Aunty Beeb's website? You can listen to stuff like the Archers, Womans Hour, Afternoon Play, Steve Wright etc online, well worth a look (if nothing else when you hear the news and traffic, you realise that you made the right choice )

danny.f

I fell off a jetski with him!! 2 fat bastards eating all the buffet! I miss the enthusiasm of footy on a Saturday,I miss waking up to find a burglar in my house again,I miss teenage abuse on the streets,I miss traffic jams,roadworks,Tories,small houses,violent Sat nights,stress etc.

Only kidding-footy with my mates,decent pubs,and that's it.

donnaf

Apart from family and friends?????
Nothing - honest!

RedMonsk

As Bev says, you're possibly in the wrong place. But then again, you have only been there a month! Has your son been at the school for a month? I'm sure that once he has really settled in, that things will change for the better!

SarahB

We used to live in town, but I hated it from the moment I first saw it. We stayed with friends for the first 2 weeks and yes they had a lovely huge posh house.... but it had next to no garden and a huge wall all around it so I couldnt even see outside! Then we rented in Wattle Downs and it took us 3 days to decide we hated being so enclosed and overlooked. We pissed off the rental agent when we said we were moving out after so short a time. We checked out Takanini way as heard it was horsey but it wasnt right for us... Clevedon was too expensive. Somebody suggested Beachlands and Maraetai and we loved it from day 1.... only chose Beachlands as its flatter and seemed more toddler friendly. We still love it now and have a nice spacious old house with character (and leaks etc! lol)....and a nice large overgrown and neglected garden.... just right for us! Close enough to get into Auckland and far enough way to have the nice village friendly feeling and plenty of fields.

kss

Apart from Family & Friends I miss the food shops. Not too much choice here as the supermarkets seem to stock the same stuff. How I long for a trip to Sainsbury or Tesco or Waitrose. Mmmmmmm !!!!!!

lardyl

hey been through the same whing when "fresh off" - found it hard to make friends, lots of Kiwis are really reserved almost to the point of rudeness (some might say). I'd recommend joining some clubs - kid's sport, adult sports, join a religious group and get involved then you will meet like-minded people and get on with some of them. You might find, however, that your best friends are ex-Pats of British, S African, Asian and European extraction! Lots of ours are! We have moved about 2km and everything is better, away from the main road, close to the park and involved in clubs and fun! Good luck!