kazandav

Hi all

I've been lurking around for several years now but haven't made many contributions. I've watched people join in the early stages and then head off to NZ but I didn't want to get caught up in all the euphoria incase we were not successful. We started our journey in January 2008 and yesterday we received our visas! I just wanted to say thank you to everyone because I have found this site so helpful and informative. We sought advice from a forum member (fooferfish) who has gone out of his way to assist us, even to the point of accommodating my husband when he went over for an interview and taking time off work to show him around! How amazing is that, the kindness of some people is unbelievable. I'm sure I'll have lots of questions once the reality has sunk in, but for now, many thanks once again

Karen

MrsFychan

CONGRATS Karen and Dave

and what a nice thing for fooferfish to do so hats off there as well

Hoping to be able to put you in the Arrivals and Departures sticky sometime soon

kazandav

Thanks Mrs Fychan. Yes, David starts his job on 14th October and finishes here on the 27th Sept but is thinking of asking for some unpaid leave to finish earlier. So we will ne in the September or October departures. I'm so excited, we were away for a couple of days and didn't get back till 2 am today. Our visas were here waiting for us and I couldn't sleep with excitement, had to start reading the paper till I fell asleep!

Persephone

Congratulations on finally getting those blue stickers

Not long now till you arrive in NZ! Ask if you have any questions on the moving process though it sounds like you've got most of it sorted.

And lots of karma for Fooferfish, that was a lovely thing to do

kazandav

Thanks Persephone, and yes it was great of Nige to help out, he and David are now good friends and I'm looking forward to meeting him and his wife. I'm sure I will be asking lots of questions, we are about to get some shipping quotes so I may need some advice regarding that so thanks for the offer. There seems to be so much to do in such a short space of time, even though you plan for years you cant actually do anything until its all finalised. We are hoping our house sale completes in a few weeks but can't book our flights until then, but I suppose everyone on here has been there and done that so to speak! It feels great just to be able to finally voice myself on here and actually talk to the very people who have been unwittingly helping us, it's a great site! Thanks for your reply.

barnsleymat

Are you moving to Dunedin?

kazandav

Hi Barnsleymat,

Yes,we are moving to Dunedin, I see that's where you are. David's job is at Otago corrections. When we first started looking we narrowed it down to a few places taking into account the area and the prison, and this seemed best for us. Where abouts do you live and do you have any recommendations? I havent been, but doing research I like the look of St Clair, Brighton and Anderson's bay. We have to take into account our boys who are 11 and 20 so it's more important to find a place where they will fit in and where there is a bit of life, but we have always wanted to live by the sea. David had a week there last year and absolutely loved it, in fact, I think he returned in body but not in soul, and can't wait to return. I take it you're from Barnsley (I'm so bright!), we are from Manchester but have lived in Cumbria for 9 years. Any advice much appreciated,

Karen

barnsleymat

Will he be working down at the Milton Hilton? We were down that way on Sunday

We live in Andersons Bay over looking the beach, if you look on google maps we face the golf course/graveyard. I can't recommend Andy Bay enough, great beaches, 5 minutes to town, 2 minutes to the penisula, cracking schools, not far onto SH1, it's a proper neighbourhood and everyone is friendly.

St Clair is lovely but we prefer Andy Bay. I'd be very wary about moving to Brighton especially with a 20 year old, there's nothing to do. It's a lovely spot down there but you'll be a bit isolated. If you want to live near a beach/sea there's plenty more places much closer to town. I love visiting Brighton, I take the dog down there regularly but I'd go mad living down there.

If you need any help will anything let me know, we're always happy to help.

kazandav

Thanks Matt, I'm sure I will be asking you more questions! Yes, David will be at the Milton Hilton, that good is it ha ha. Anderson's bay is sounding more of a contender. Do you know if there are possibilities to build there? I believe you've been having snow there, our youngest loves to ski so that's another plus point. Thanks for the welcome

Karen

barnsleymat

There's not been much snow down here in Dunedin but the ski season is well under way in Central Otago. When will you be arriving?

I'm sure there's plenty of opportunity to build in Andy Bay, a few doors away from us are 2 plots for sale:

http://www.realestate.co.nz/2011859

I'll keep an eye out for anymore.

kazandav

Brill, thanks! We will be arriving around the end of September, job starts 14th october, we just have to complete the house sale in order for us all to come out together, otherwise David will be going alone but we're optimists, have to be. Do you have children , if so, where do they go to school? Right, I'm off to check out that land!

barnsleymat

We're both in our 30's and don't have any kids (yet?). You'll be very very impressed by the schools in Dunedin. They look and operate like private schools, I still can't get over the uniforms they make the kids wear, it's a bit Harry Potter!

It'll be good having more Northerners about, there's plenty of us in Dunedin but there's always room for more.

Fingers crossed for the house sale.

kazandav

It will be good to have an expat meet up, as soon as we have more info about our arrival I'll post on the forum, but thanks to everyone for the welcome

Sue

Congratulations to your and your husband on getting your visas. I'm so glad that you had a great experience on BE. We really do have the best members ... it's the lifeblood of this community and it always gives me such a great feeling when people extend that community spirit into there face to face by helping one another.

Congratulations again ... that's wonderful news

kazandav

Thanks Sue, it's so reassuring to know that there are people here to help with any queries and I'm sure there will be many. Hopefully one day I'll be able to answer questions for others about to embark on the journey.