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If you left NZ - what would you really really miss?

If you left NZ - what would you really really miss?

Old Sep 13th 2012, 9:19 am
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Default If you left NZ - what would you really really miss?

me:

Having enough space to have five dogs
Seeing Milky Way so clearly every night
Having excellent Asian food markets everywhere
Driving to work at nearly the speed limit and not really having a rush hour
Our log burner
Plants and veggies growing without a lot of intervention from me
Cheap car insurance that means we can own stuff out of our league in the UK
Living next door to alpacas and miniature horses
Ability to get through to real humans on the phone in the bank who remember our names


from Neil

The trustworthiness of nearly everyone we have ever dealt with
Leaving our house unlocked and not being stressed
Satnavs on view in the parked car and not being stressed
Good Thai food
Lack of coppers on the roads (where we are) and ability to negotiate with them
Log burner


Jan
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Old Sep 13th 2012, 9:28 am
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Default Re: If you left NZ - what would you really really miss?

The stuff to do on our doorstep.
The room around the section compared to the 3 bed semi infested estate we'd have to move to.
The friends coming in without knocking.
The cool handshake and hug when you haven't seen people for two days.
The four wheel drive I couldn't afford to run im UK.
The happy wife who doesn't have to work her arse off.
Briscoe's sales.
Steinlager.
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Old Sep 13th 2012, 10:26 am
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Default Re: If you left NZ - what would you really really miss?

We have left NZ. What I really really miss:

The harbour views on our drive from our house in Khandallah to Wellington CBD where we both worked (commuting time of 10 min max).

The guys in Starbucks knowing us by name and what we drink after serving us twice (same sans the coffee with bank clerks).

Having great nature walks virtually on our doorstep.

My Kiwi employer ignoring the huge time-gaps in my CV and giving me a chance just because I said I can do the job (wouldn't have happened in London in a million years).

Wellington's awesome Central library (where we became card-holder members on the day we arrived, despite not having a permanent address to back us up).

Our first landlord leaving us the keys to his luxurious place in Mt Victoria when he left for a few weeks vacation "just in case we would like to borrow some books".
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Old Sep 13th 2012, 10:28 am
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Default Re: If you left NZ - what would you really really miss?

Beaches
lack of traffic
Big Ben pies
Decent people (even the idiots are polite compared to chavs)
Friends who actually do things in their spare time
Seeing dolphins every now and again
listening to Tui's while sitting on my deck
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Old Sep 13th 2012, 7:24 pm
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Default Re: If you left NZ - what would you really really miss?

I miss
living within an hour of some great skiing.
Finishing work then jumping in my kayak and going for a paddle
" " " " on my mountain bike and going for a peddle on a mountain
Green lip live mussels at the supermarket
Getting full muttons or have a beast from the farm
Rain on a corrugated iron roof
Stars at night (milky way)
Moreporks
Winters where trees are still green in the bush
Proper ferns
my vege garden
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Old Sep 13th 2012, 7:26 pm
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Default Re: If you left NZ - what would you really really miss?

Doh...... and my family
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Old Sep 13th 2012, 7:32 pm
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Default Re: If you left NZ - what would you really really miss?

Leaving next month, so will let you know .........
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Old Sep 13th 2012, 7:34 pm
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Default Re: If you left NZ - what would you really really miss?

Cicadas
Jogging round gorgeous virginia lake in Wanganui
My large section overlooking countryside
Flat whites (sorry but I love the coffee here)
Great Restaurants
The friends I've made
Empty beaches
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Old Sep 13th 2012, 7:50 pm
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Default Re: If you left NZ - what would you really really miss?

Originally Posted by love30stm
Cicadas
Jogging round gorgeous virginia lake in Wanganui
My large section overlooking countryside
Flat whites (sorry but I love the coffee here)
Great Restaurants
The friends I've made
Empty beaches
I use to love going to Wanganui in the 80s to visit may grandparents. Is the tropical glasshouse still there next to Virginia Lake? Used to love the banana trees.
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Old Sep 13th 2012, 7:53 pm
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Default Re: If you left NZ - what would you really really miss?

Originally Posted by phyns
I use to love going to Wanganui in the 80s to visit may grandparents. Is the tropical glasshouse still there next to Virginia Lake? Used to love the banana trees.
Yes its still here! Don't remember seeing banana trees? I'm going to take a look next time I'm jogging to check
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Old Sep 13th 2012, 8:34 pm
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Default Re: If you left NZ - what would you really really miss?

I am leaving in a few months. Can let you know then. I suspect I will miss the friends that I have made here. Luckily many of them are also moving (back) to Europe too.
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Old Sep 13th 2012, 10:42 pm
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Default Re: If you left NZ - what would you really really miss?

Amongst a hundred things two stand out.

A huge number of fantastic golf courses for very little money. Where else in the world could you pay as little as $475 for 15 months weekday membership of a top quality championship links course with fabulous ocean views and only 30 minutes from your premier city? That's Murawai.

Fishing - You don't even have to go out of Auckland harbour to catch a good feed of snapper and the occasional kingy - once again, not many major cities where you're just a couple of minutes away from decent fishing.

I suppose I better mention that I'd also miss the grandkids - and the g/f (just in case they ever read this).
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Old Sep 14th 2012, 3:16 am
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Default Re: If you left NZ - what would you really really miss?

The good and cheap golf courses available. Paying $10 to have a course to yourself - unheard of
Beaches to yourself
Cheap car insurance
Potholes and bouncy roads
Roads to yourself
The southern alps
The little blue penguins

Just to name a few
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Old Sep 14th 2012, 3:27 am
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Default Re: If you left NZ - what would you really really miss?

Interesting that the things nost people will miss are not food related, but to do with the space and lifestyle. Which are very important to me

I would though miss NEW ZEALAND WINES

Jan
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Old Sep 14th 2012, 3:54 am
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Default Re: If you left NZ - what would you really really miss?

Originally Posted by Jan n Neil
me:

Having enough space to have five dogs
Seeing Milky Way so clearly every night
Having excellent Asian food markets everywhere
Driving to work at nearly the speed limit and not really having a rush hour
Our log burner
Plants and veggies growing without a lot of intervention from me
Cheap car insurance that means we can own stuff out of our league in the UK
Living next door to alpacas and miniature horses
Ability to get through to real humans on the phone in the bank who remember our names


from Neil

The trustworthiness of nearly everyone we have ever dealt with
Leaving our house unlocked and not being stressed
Satnavs on view in the parked car and not being stressed
Good Thai food
Lack of coppers on the roads (where we are) and ability to negotiate with them
Log burner


Jan
What makes you think you can't get all of that outside of NZ?
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