Gonzo

Hi All

I recently arrived in New Zealand with my partner with Residency status and am now living in Auckland, having taken some time to travel around South Island. She is a teacher, and has started work this week. I on the other hand have only just started looking for work and don't know anybody yet.

I'm hoping I'll get some useful pointers from you guys about anything from culture to ... well ... anything. Especially anyone based in Auckland.

All the best

Gonzo (nick)

kwprwn

Hi Nick...welcome to our little corner of the world
I live in Auckland with my husband owen...we have been here 10 months and I still know next to no one

were abouts you living? and what sort of work you going to do

Dawn

karonious

Hi there,
Welcome to the forum.
My only suggestions are: take things as you find them and don't keep trying to convert $ to £ and vice versa.
We are in Hamilton so not much help with Auckland specifics but we have enjoyed our new lives so far (since October last year) so if you think we may have any answers, fire away!
Karen B

Gonzo

Hi Dawn

Thanks for the response. I am living in the city centre at the moment. We have rented a flat for the 3 mth minimum so may move once I have found my feet and know where I'll be working. My partner works in the west, so it would have to be commutable to there.

I previously managed a hotel booking website in London, so my background is internet/hospitality marketing/operations. Bit of a niche really, but I finished an MA in management before I came out, so I'm hoping I appeal to the general market also.

How about you. Where are you living and how do you find it? Also Jess and I have been looking for nice beaches for swimming, etc. We found Mission Bay, but do you have any other suggestions. Is there anything on Waiheke Island?

Nick

Gonzo

Hi Karen

Many thanks for the response. You're right! We do keep trying to convert into GBP. While we are on this subject, do you have any suggestions as to the best way to transfer funds from the UK without having to pay tourist currency conversion rates.
Thanks
Nick

Jude J

Vineyards and beaches
Not been yet but going in a couple of weeks, so will let you know.
You are surrounded by beaches in Auckland. Mission bay is OK, but as you say, smallish and busy. Get out of the city and explore!

kwprwn

Hi Nick

We live over in West Auckland, out in massey and I travel to Newmarket on the train each day and despite what people say I find the trains not to bad, they are busy at rush hour but no more than what you would expect on the tube at rush hour in london, and they arent that unreliable, in the 8 months I have used them, I have only been late for work once as a result of a points failure, so not that unreliable.

i personally like living out here with the exception that its too close to the mother in law but other than that which I guess is not that big a deal then it is fine out here, like all cities there are the rough areas, but I find that were we are in massey is not to bad, we live in a fairly quiet area, so no trouble round here, and we are quite close to the west coast beaches muriwai, bethells and piha (all good surfing beaches...not that i can surf) but nice beaches all the same but black sand. And not to far a drive from the north shore if you want to go to Long Bay or Browns bay...more goldens sand

Not been to Waiheke yet, but I believe its lovely for vineyards and beaches...its on my to do list, along with further visits to Devonport, and I also want to go back to queenstown among one hundred and one other places IO want to visit

I like it out west

Gonzo

Thanks Dawn. Drive to Glen Eden from Titirangi and train into town might be the solution. I've done the train journey and its quite good. It really depends on how long it takes door-to-door. I'd like to keep my commute under 50 mins if possible.