kiwigeordie

I'm not sure if this is the right thread for this but I'd be interested to hear new immigrants very first impressions of NZ.

As a starter, I'll describe my own from our arrival in March 1986.

Arrived in Wellington (via Gatwick - LA) in typically windy conditions which made the landing 'interesting'.
We were booked into a family motel on the terrace by my new employer where we were to live for 10 days. Not bad - two bedrooms and a lounge/diner with a TV and a small kitchen area.

The first night (a Saturday) we all had the usual jet lag and were wide awake and ready to eat at 9.00pm so, with the kids parked in front of the TV, I ventured out into central Wellington which was in almost total darkness and with not a soul to be seen.

Wandering in one direction for 20 minutes I found nowhere to buy a take-away meal. I retraced my steps and walked 20 mins in the other direction. Nothing.

I finally came across another, seemingly lost, soul (probably a shift worker heading home) and asked if there was anywhere I could get a take away meal. "No worries mate. There's the pie cart outside Wellington Station."

This it seems was the sole attraction for would be gourmands in Wellington on a Saturday evening. Still, needs must and I returned to my family bearing hot pies and chips.

I got back to the motel around 10.00 pm and was just in time to see the "Goodnight Kiwi" announcing the end of TV transmission for the day.

My kids, still seated on the floor, turned to me in amazement. The expression on their faces was clearly one of "Where the heck have you brought us?"

You newbies have never had it so good

Pete

Woodlea

Ha ha - good post!

TommyLuck

Funny you say this.

The other night I drove home from a friends house in the North Shore to Westmere, where I'm staying in Auckland at the moment.

Sure it was just gone midnight, but given I had to use the Southern Highway, including crossing the Harbour Bridge, I was stunned that during the journey I did not see another car on the road at all. Not on my side of the road, nor on the other side.

Dead, it was.


My wife is a Kiwi, but a I dated a British girl who has Kiwi parents before her and they bought me over for Xmas 2003. I was a student at the time so I was just pleased to be going somewhere so exotic on holiday!!

I loved it. At the time the exchange rate was favourable so I could eat and drink on my student budget pretty well.

we drove from Auckland to Wellington over the course of 7 days and took in loads of stuff, so my initiation was quite a lot to take in, just cruising about and enjoying the early summer breeze.

Not long after I got to Wellington I popped down to Balena Bay, a man made beach on Evans Bay Parade. It was not long after England won the Rugby World Cup and Ma'a Nonu was on the beach with his latest squeeze. It was just them and us.

He's got a bad rep over here but he was a nice enough fella that day. We got chatting about stuff and he seemed a decent chap.

So my 1st impression was a good one;

I got to cruise around in decent weather seeing loads of sights and I got to meet an All Black, who just happened to be on the beach at the same time who seemed like a decent lad.

A pretty sound 1st impression I'd say.

Persephone

I came over in 2006 to visit Mr S after we'd met on holiday...

He lived in Palmerston North at the time. I remember arriving in the morning, I remember thinking how sunny and green NZ appeared to be from the air on the way from Auckland to Palmy. First impressions on driving from the airport to 'home' was of how wide the roads were and how most houses were detached bungalows. The impression was of space and big skies. It was October so it was sunny and not too cold but there was still snow on the mountain tops

We stayed there for a couple of days before he took me on a trip to the South Island via the Interislander, we went to Kaikoura, Chch, Arthur's Pass, the glaciers, Queenstown and Milford Sound before returning to Palmy.
The scenery on the South Island was stunning and easily the most beautiful I'd seen anywhere in the world. I felt like I could live in NZ very easily!
Also he introduced me to just about all his family, friends and workmates so I guessed he was serious about me

Finally moved to NZ in 2008 - I arrived wearing a thick winter coat, scarf, two jumpers in the heat of summer. It had been snowing when I left the UK and I had had no more room in my luggage...
I know Palmy has a bad reputation but I enjoyed living there. We then moved to Chch where I learnt the hard way that Mr S was correct when he had told me how earthquake prone NZ is

Snap Shot

First impressions of NZ ? I met the in-laws. Nuff said.

As we were leaving after our first visit in March 1994 my fiancé's father died at Auckland airport. We stayed an extra week to attend his funeral.

So to reiterate, nuff said.

crap coffee

makes me laff!

My family arrived Welly in early 90's. We almost felt the same. though I was a teenage miserable kid who don't speak very good English.

Welly is not as bad as it used to be.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

M_and_M

Hahaha you make me laugh!

Browner_

You were in the CBD. You have to go down Courtney Place end to see the action. And if you went there after midnight youd probably wish you were back in the CBD. Nothings changed