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Auckland is a dump!
Ok thats not something I can say with any experience having never been there!
However the perception I have of the place from the news,people who have lived there and moved away,people who have visited is that on the whole it a hyped up place full of people who put on fake uk wanabe accents,and live in a "we are NZ the rest of the country can F off" world. Now who am I to judge such things. What I would say though is that it has totaly put me off from visiting what seems on the surface to be a hyped up up its own type of place. Thing is why would I travel all that way to see beaches,forests and alike that I have got down here? It seems to me that when others defend the place its all about anywhere but Auckland city so is this the reason for all the bad press. Coming from Dunedin which im the first to admit isnt perfect I guess living in a city such as I do I compare Auckland as a 'city' to here. Is it just that Auckland is more 'spread out'. So come on All you Aucklanders why would I visit a place that has so much traffic and trouble? What does it have that isnt down here? george |
Re: Auckland is a dump!
So come on All you Aucklanders why would I visit a place that has so much traffic and trouble? What does it have that isnt down here?
OPEN-MINDED PEOPLE ? ;) Decent weather-comparatively speaking Many different races Seriously though, don't know why you are so upset but think sometimes places are good to live in but not necessarily great to visit. Because of its relative size and population make-up, I do think Ak is slightly different from the rest of NZ. Like london is different from other parts of England ( I am not saying Ak is like London) I always suggest to overseas visitiors that if they have very limited time to just have short time in AK but time permitting to have couple of days either end of trip in Ak - supposing they fly through AKL. If you ever risk coming north , there are a few nice things to do - some even cheap for a family Go up Mt Eden (walk or drive)and view the city - as good a view as Sky Tower and it doesn't cost anything Take bus to St Heliers -and walk back towards city along the waterfront - about 10k- enjoying a coffee at Kohi- swim and lunch at Mission Bay - view harbour from Bastion Point (Mission Bay) - visit Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium and Antarctic exhibition)- not so cheap - get bus rest of way back to city if you don't want to walk - alternatively driving it is nice too. Ferry to Rangitoto - lava flow/caves pohutakawa forest - walk or take tractor to top - fantastic views of Hauraki Gulf - take a picnic and make a whole day of it West coast beaches - Piha , Muriwai -stunning -but beware of the surf Waitakeres - bush walks Vineyard tours out west or on Waiheke (Gulf island) Museum has great Pacifica collection probably not available on the mainland Zoo is nice for Kids - next to Motat- but then again maybe costly for families Having only been to Dunedin twice (loved the Catlins) I still think it is fair to say that shopping variety is much better here if that's your thing Auckland IS very spread out and you really do need transport but never say never - you might even enjoy it Don't usually post much here - but have hurt my back and can't get out in the lovely auckland weather to garden so thought would share the angst! Enjoy 2010 |
Re: Auckland is a dump!
lol!
Are you ducking for cover yet?! Ok I don't live in Auckland either, and when we first moved here I was completely ambivilent about it. In fact it did nothing for me at all. However, having been down for long weekends and wee trips a good few times over the years I have to admit it's grown on me. There are some lovely areas, Titirangi, Devonport and I like Ponsonby. I also think it helps if you're seeing it with people that live there as they know all the nice things to do. These places have a nice vibe. Also I have never seen one smidge of trouble. I cannot stand Queens Street - but I HATE SHOPPING. On the odd occasion where is is a necessity some of the centres are fine - Albany ( cos it's on the way home!) I actually like the Viaduct for wandering around on a lovely summer evening. So, personally I wouldn't go there for the beaches as we have them here ad they are the best! But I would go for things we don't have. Like, I suppose, the Zoo?? Kelly Tarltons ?? Now that I have stuck up for it a little I should say that the last couple of times L has been down I've chosen to stay up here :lol: but more cos I couldn't be bothered finding a house sitter for all the cows. |
Re: Auckland is a dump!
Originally Posted by george toni
(Post 8218750)
Ok thats not something I can say with any experience having never been there!
However the perception I have of the place from the news,people who have lived there and moved away,people who have visited is that on the whole it a hyped up place full of people who put on fake uk wanabe accents,and live in a "we are NZ the rest of the country can F off" world. Now who am I to judge such things. What I would say though is that it has totaly put me off from visiting what seems on the surface to be a hyped up up its own type of place. Thing is why would I travel all that way to see beaches,forests and alike that I have got down here? It seems to me that when others defend the place its all about anywhere but Auckland city so is this the reason for all the bad press. Coming from Dunedin which im the first to admit isnt perfect I guess living in a city such as I do I compare Auckland as a 'city' to here. Is it just that Auckland is more 'spread out'. So come on All you Aucklanders why would I visit a place that has so much traffic and trouble? What does it have that isnt down here? george if i had to choose Dunedin or Auckland it would be Auckland everytime! |
Re: Auckland is a dump!
Originally Posted by george toni
(Post 8218750)
What does it have that isnt down here?
george Nothing really, mate. I seldom get out of home whenever I stay in Auckland, because I don't see the point to get out. to do what? shopping? nah, I never shop in auckland - Welly is much better for shopping. you are right, auckland is an uncultured dump. its just not a well organized or tidy place - Just so messy - I can't stand it. and I would never drive in Auckland downtown area cos it's like a spider´s web. scary!!! |
Re: Auckland is a dump!
Well, here we go. I lived in West Auckland for about 13 years, and gave birth to two of my 4 kids there, but have now lived in the South Island (Timaru) for about as long. I spent from July - October last year in South Auckland training for a job, so have both recent and past experience to go on. I was nervous about living in Sth Ak because it has a reputation for being a bad crime area, but I always felt safe and never saw any crime during my stay.
Speaking as a past Aucklander: I have never heard Aucklanders put on fake UK accents. Why? South Islanders have the perception of Aucklanders as thinking that NZ stops at Auckland. However, we were completely unaware of this until we moved south from Aucklnad - many of our northern friends loved the South. Many South Islanders make this assumption having never been to Auckland, and the statement "what do you have that we don't" is kind of annoying if people have never left the South Island. What I loved while recently in Auckland was the variety of shopping - don't go to the town centre unless you work there, you're going to a show, or to one of the aforementioned attractions. I also loved the variety of things to do within an hours drive - completely different beaches in each direction, gorgeous bush walks, lovely scenery, art places, hot pools, islands, volcanoes and lots of attractions Speaking as a South Islander: I had fogotten how much it rains in Auckland. Even though the temperature is higher generally. it is often cloudy, rainy and windy due, I suppose, to being situated on an isthmus. Where we live you get much more sunshine, although this doesn't apply to the West Coast. The water temperature is also higher up north, making it easier to actually swim for much of the summer. The beaches in the south don't match the beaches in Auckland IMHO. The most beautiful beaches in the South are too cold for anyone but the seals and sea lions. Why should you travel to Auckland? - because it's different. But do so with an open mind and enjoy what it has to offer. :thumbup: |
Re: Auckland is a dump!
] remember the same being said about London when I lived there. Perceptions are only perceptions and often unfounded. For a discussion forum I am often saddened by the dislike we have for each other. Nowhere is perfect. Auckland is my home and I have met some really great people here, I can also the same for a number of towns / cities in New Zealand on both islands. Life is too short to be bitter about such little things - lets just be happy and celebrate our differences and accept that all may not like.
Happy 2010 to all wherever you live :cool: |
Re: Auckland is a dump!
Goodness me . Are you in a feisty mood and been given a wooden spoon for Christmas :lol:
What does it have that isnt down here? I've been several times and it's fine for a change of scene and stimulation which is all we can ask from a place that we visit and do not live. |
Re: Auckland is a dump!
Originally Posted by BEVS
(Post 8219249)
Goodness me . Are you in a feisty mood and been given a wooden spoon for Christmas :lol:
It has a 'difference' George. It's a different place with a different feel to it. Like Welly or Paris or New York or York or Wells or Glasgow. I've been several times and it's fine for a change of scene and stimulation which is all we can ask from a place that we visit and do not live. |
Re: Auckland is a dump!
I like it. If I had to live there for work I wouldn't mind.
Never been to Dunedin. But I wanted somewhere with a temperate climate all year round - and that's what I've got!:p I've yet to find a place I've visited that I haven't liked TBH.:o But that's just me. I love NZ!:) |
Re: Auckland is a dump!
This reminds me of my sister in law who hated London with a passion cos she flew over it once and didn't like the look of it :rofl::rofl::rofl:
However when she finally did visit she found that the people didn't have two heads and was amazed by their friendliness and helpfulness (she had little kids and people were great on public transport apparently) Auckland is actually pretty good! I've been here 10 years Was brought up in Norfolk, then lived in Essex briefly and Gloucestershire briefly before settling in London Auckland was perfect after London. I wanted to move some where smaller but not a small town. Personally I have no traffic issues...10 mins drive to school in the morning and from there 10 mins to work. The people I know are fab of course, but I like the friendliness of NZ and of course that happens in Auckland too. I think that people forget when they talk of Jafas is that most people in Auckland have moved there from somewhere, or at lease their parents have. Many are only one generation away from the country and still have whanau outside of Auckland. I think there is still a connection to rural new zealand, probably more so than cities in UK perhaps Aucklanders tend to speak really positively about the rest of NZ, and certainly appreciate the most scenic spots are elsewhere but who expects a city to have everything? (Although New Plymouth comes close apparently) What auckland does have though is much to recommend it in a city. Sure it's not Sydney, but it's beautiful, and diverse in it's landscape and it's people. Small pockets aside, it's not a dangerous town and doesn't scare me nearly as much as Christchurch in terms of violent crime. I say, don't dis it till you've been there, but if you do want to dis it sight unseen, then don't expect to be taken seriously |
Re: Auckland is a dump!
I'll bite, but I'll not deny that like ANY city Auckland does have its fair share of shitty bits. BUT fake wannabee Brits I don't get at all, what's that all about?? Most Kiwis I mix with here are not original JAFAs and hail from someplace else up and down the country - so from that point alone your view from afar is so wrong. Kiwis flock to Auckland from rural and dead-end places too!! They don't all want to be farmers living in stubbies, swandris and gumboots.
Auckland is a massive sprall and the CBD is just but a tiny speck in comparison. To be fair I don't know anyone that goes to Queen Street for shopping other than tourists, lunch time shoppers and the the overseas student population. In that respect it's not representative of the city, or the people that live here, in the same way that Oxford Street in London isn't full of cheeky cockney sparrahs out doing their everyday shopping. The backstreets of the CBD are grim and often dark and smelly, I've seen cleaner and more inviting streets in some third world countries. The only time we ever go into the centre of town is if we have visitors who want to do the touristy things - unless you work there it's quite possible not to ever have any need to go there at all. :lol: We manage just fine with local shops, cinemas, restaurants and cafes without having to go to the same place week in and out. We have so many options and choices among our nearby suburbs, we find we move in very small circles and yet don't repeat too many things from one year to the next. :blink: There is thankfully much more to Auckland than the Harbour bridge, Skytower, Otara, SH1 and the CBD. The beaches are wonderful and hardly ever packed, access to regional parks, lakes and open space is never an issue and you only need to be 1/2 an hour out of the CBD either way to see stunning scenery, rolling hills and greenery. I can however compare it to other cities in NZ and to be honest I don't myself see the appeal of Christchurch, it has none of the benefits of Auckland and from my anecdotal reckoning a disproportionate amount of crime, murders, hoons and general low-life. Besides which it is mostly flat and boring without the different views we have out over the gulf at every turn. The housing is just as cramped, McHousing (be-pillared flambouyant monstrosities and up-themselves wannabe 'Posh English / Grammar school educated' types of people. The same can't be said for Auckland where Polynesian, British, South African and Asian populations often outnumber the local Pakeha/Kiwi dudes. I prefer to live in Auckland and have easy access to heaps of beautiful places, Northland, Coromandel, the Gulf Islands, the Central Plateau, Lakes and Mountains, Rotorua etc - all easily drivable for weekends or short breaks away, than I would if we lived in other extremes of the country. BUT having said all that, it's just my preference and I wouldn't be so rude as to disrespect other people's choice of places, if I hadn't experienced them for myself . |
Re: Auckland is a dump!
God, this whole Auckland vs rest of NZ thing is so boring.
My background is that I was brought up in rural Canterbury so have heard this all before. I returned to UK after school for 22 years before coming back to NZ. I had only visited Auckland a couple of times and to be honest was dreading living here but work dictated I must. Well, I can honestly say that for me, this is the best place I can think of living in the world, when you take all things into balance including a decent salary. Sure, if I was a best-selling author and could work anywhere with a laptop and a satellite modem then I probably wouldn't be here, but this is the real world, right? For me, here are the positives:
My advice is not to knock it before you try it |
Re: Auckland is a dump!
top replies thanks for that.
guess if you like shopping and concerts its the place to be but bar that I reckon almost anywhere in NZ can offer the outdoors things that are listed as positives for living there. I dont have a personal hatred of the place how can I as iv'e never been. Im more than aware of peoples skewd perceptions of a place having lived in London for 33 years and then moving to Cumbria. I too didnt see that anywhere else existed outside of good old London and once in Cumbria got sick to death of how much everything revolved around London! go figure! glad it sparked a few fiesty replies now then Dunedin is a dump anyone!:thumbsup: happy new year naughty boy george |
Re: Auckland is a dump!
Sounds like you got out of bed on the wrong side this morning! Well, to me Auckland is the only place to live in NZ. Why? Because we've lived in a few places in the North and South islands and if there wasn't an Auckland I doubt we would still be in NZ.
We've lived in Dunedin and really didn't find it all that great. In fact thought it was nothing like Scotland in spite of everyone telling us it was very Scottish. Found the city centre dull with lots of grey buildings and all that up and down hills gets tiring after a while. And, it was so cold, and again the houses were cold. Much prefer the milder weather in Auckland, although it rains a lot. Broad Bay was pleasant though with much better scenery. But I agree that Auckland central is dull. However, not many Jaffas actually go into the centre if they can avoid it. The best places are outside of Auckland in the suburbs. I feel Auckland has a buzz which was missing for many of the other towns and that the small country town were not for us. Have also lived in Whangerei and didn't care for it all that much. The North Shore to me is somewhere quite different to the rest of NZ and seems more colourful and alive compared to other towns. The road up the Bays north from the Auckland Bridge is one of the best places I've seen in NZ. I feel many of the country scenic places are poor on infrastructure and have little to sustain folks who wish to live there. Therefore, I think we'll stick with the Jaffas. |
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