Moses2013

I can fully understand what you mean and I get why some people rave about NZ as well:-). As you say, there is so much to explore and most people probably don't know what they have around the corner, so we all have to move away first (some stay, some return). For me personally Europe has it all and I appreciate it a lot more than I used to and there's so much I haven't seen or will never see. We can just take the car go on the overnight ferry and suddenly you are driving through Spain (different language/culture). A work colleague just went hiking around Picos de Europa and the scenery he showed me was stunning. Some poster mentioned bush. Unfortunately due to the long history of overgrazing many rain forests disappeared but we even have a temperate rainforest around the corner.

Scheck

NZ has a little way to go before it hits a population of 67 million though! And the Lake District (where I live) gets about 19 million tourists a year. Crowds and high parking fees (I'm looking at you National Trust) is all part of the life here.

Regardless, it's horses for courses. If you're unhappy and feel trapped over there my heart goes out to you. I hope you find a resolution soon.

Bo-Jangles

It is horses for course, the numbers are not the same but still problems exist because NZ doesn't have the infrastructure to cope with the numbers of visitors to tourist hotspots and the same issue prevail around peak school holiday times. The cities all but empty out and popular places like Coromandel, Bay of Islands and Waiheke become inundated. Places like Queenstown bursting at the seams and good luck trying to find accommodation and parking in any of our cities when there is a major event on (major event being an international sports game or concert of any description).

BEVS

I think a couple of folk need to read this lady's opening post again. They seem to have bypassed the words, point & meaning to just jump straight in with the rather unpleasant , very old and tired routines .

I read it & I did not get any sense at all of complain or unhappiness.

BTW - It is OK to post as she has done so maybe some could stop bitterly complaining about that. Thanks.

escapedtonz

The term "Wash your mouth out" is a jovial English expression when someone disagrees with a statement......well it is where I come from anyways and to back the funny side of it up I placed a ROFL emoji. Seems it was lost on you there and you appear to completely contradict yourself more than once in your original post.

jayandbill

I think you can't have read my post properly. I said, "There's no question that New Zealand is beautiful." I then went on to suggest that there are many other countries that are equally beautiful and that the scenery and beaches shouldn't be a reason for coming to new Zealand to live before they've had a good look at their own back yard. I'm not bitter, I have a great family here but I know there are a lot of immigrants who miss their homeland and they're not all 'whingeing Poms.

BEVS

It was lost on me too. Where I come from it is not only used in jest. It is also used as a threat or to indicate when someone is being rude, offensive or abusive.

For example :- I could use that to you now for the "Eff Off" profile pic message which you now felt was OK for BE . It isn't . I have removed and archived it.

jayandbill

Perhaps it just comes down to the fact that, like you, I've seen so much of the country several times and there's rarely anything new to discover. Or maybe it's just winter!

jayandbill

The lack of history etc is something I was fully aware of but it's not until you leave behind the things you love most about your home country that you begin to realise how much you miss them and that also includes the diverse scenery. We are lucky in that we can go back and visit every couple of years but it's a very tedious flight and we're not getting any younger. Yes, we should have thought of that but being with our family meant more to us.

jayandbill

I did get the expression 'wash your mouth out' . I've used myself many times in jest, but you might have missed my point in my original post. I said "there was no question that NZ is a beautiful country." I've done The Mount and the Papamoa Hills several times and the view is great but it's not the only place in the world with stunning scenery and views . I suggested it's not a good reason to move here. My reference to someone saying the scenery was 'unparalleled ' was something I saw on a letters page in a magazine written after they'd seen the very long video of the train journey from Auckland to the deep south . or as far as it goes. I could only think they'd never been outside of NZ

jayandbill

Who knew that place existed. It looks like New Zealand

BtotheR

BtotheR

I think its a bit sad to read some of the responses on here to this couple. Of course they knew things about the country like lack of history etc but of course you actually only know how much this is going to be a factor to your life/mental well being, once you have actually lived in it a while. No body really knows what its like to live in a place until you do it so lets not give people a hard time for having regrets in the choices they made, a lot of how it works out for any of us in NZ is down to personality and luck.

My parents wouldn't be that much younger than this couple and similarly used to come and visit us nearly every year for a few months (they would go travelling around NZ on their trips and also we had a outhouse so it worked really well even for that long) and did often consider moving to NZ to be closer to us - but I think the outcome would have been very similar to this couples. They are big walkers/adventurers and travelled the country extensively and although they did love it for visiting but never felt it had enough there for them to move there. I think they could only make that proper evaluation after coming over many times though and if they had made the move in my early days over there I honestly do think they would be in a similar position to these guys.

I feel for them. I think you need to consider and look into their options of returning - which I know would not be the easy option. Perhaps just the mindset that you might not be there forever may take some pressure off and allow you to enjoy NZ for what it is and all the things you originally wanted to go there for. Maybe even facing the prospect you won't be there for that much longer could bring a whole new appreciation for the country and the many positives it has as well as how important being near your family is to you - even if being there makes you unhappy. If they did go back - go back to just visiting NZ and when this gets too hard due to age etch, help pay for the kids to come over instead if you can and save yourself there trip. The pound is still low if they can sell up and try get back (I know this will be dotted with big issues to make it happen - but if they wanted to enough they will).

Anyway, be nice, its obvious the original poster obviously wants a place to rant and get the opinions from people who have maybe had similar experiences to them (isn't that why we are all here!?). If they can't do that here - where can they do it?

Check out your options jayandbill, you only live once.

Buzzy--Bee

If its any consolation a lot of New Zealanders don't appreciate their scenery. When I lived on the West Coast of the South Island, I woke up every morning to snow-capped mountains, endless forests and crashing seas fringing dramatic cliffs. My father-in-law could not fathom for the life of him why anyone would find any of that special in any way. He particularly could not understand the mentality of people who came from overseas and actually stopped to take photos.

jayandbill

Thank you BtotheR. That is pretty much our lives in a nutshell and thanks for your helpful thoughts. It's not as if we're unhappy, just bored and that might be something to do with our age . There are still places in the wider world that aren't easily accessed from NZ that I regret not seeing. We've come to terms with that and are fortunate that we can still go back to UK to see the few family we have there, most of them are here though. I think going back to UK would put pressure on our family here because it's so far away and takes so long to get there should we be taken ill or (or worse !) If they said they were going back I'd have our suitcases ready by the door.
I still maintain that the scenery and beaches aren't a good reason to move 12000 miles from home when it's all on the UK's doorstep. I expect there are many reasons why Brits feel discontent with their lives in UK and want to make changes but for some who do make the move the outcome is far from rosy. My family has had its share of drama and trauma in dealing with the upheaval of moving so far from home and that's why we stick together and returning is not an option for us. Emigrating is a huge step to take and not to be taken lightly, especially when children are involved. I'm sure many families have never looked back though .