paul2

me the wife and kids have been in nz for 10 weeks it is an amazing place we are living up in the bay of islands,ive got a job as a builder am contracting earning $25 an hour. things are great but we find that we get a bit bored up here as there isent any shopping centres. would you say there is more to do in auckland or stay up here? what is the money like in auckland?

scrubbedexpat094

Hi Paul

We live on the Whangaparaoa peninsula, north of Auckland & love it. We went to the Bay of Islands last year for a weekend & although beautiful we were glad to get home. Just too quiet for us. We have some beautiful beaches on the peninsula but have good access to other things too. Shopping at Albany, Wairau Park & Newmarket. Cinemas at Whangaparaoa, Albany, North Shore. Theatre at Orewa (we both volunteer there) & in Auckland. Silverdale has Snow Planet, Luge, Go-kart racing & a new swimming centre has just started to be built. There's an excellent Indian in Manly village as well as a good Thai restaurant. For us it's a great place to live. There's lots more we do as well but don't want to bore you .

Can't help you on the jobs/salary in your field but sure someone will be along who can.

love30stm

That's it sold I want to move there!

CCGM.IN.NZ

Hi there
We live in east Auckland and just love it here. I know Auckland does get slated but I cant see why. Auckland is a city made of o lots of towns and villages and you have to go outside of the CBD to appreciate what Auckland has got. Over this side we have Botany and Sylvia Park for our shopping needs. Just 5 mins drive we have Howick which is a lovely little village with lots of little specialist shops and lots of cafe's. We have two teens and still enjoy family weekend trips to the regional parks Auckland has on offer. Some are coastal and attached to great beaches, others are bush walks. http://www.arc.govt.nz/parks/. Pack up a picnic and its a great free day out! We too have been for a weekend to the Bay of Islands, beautiful place, but I'm not sure I could live there either. Can't comment on the wages in Auckland as we are self employed but I'm sure someone can help with that as there are quite a few JAFAs on here. Good luck with your research

Beeka

Im in Whangaparaoa too, and its lovely It has the holiday feel with all the beaches / sea views but also the fun stuff youre looking for nearby - Albany is good for shops, restuarants, cinemas, etc. Vitalstatistix summed it up very well!

My friend is looking for labourer work around here and the going rate seems to be $25-35 per hour, after the boss takes their cut. However my mate has asked many contacts and complete strangers and there seems to be no work going in this area at the moment. I guess thats the impact of the recession?

BTW Bay of Islands is beautiful, I often think what it would be like to live up there permanently!!

lardyl

don't over-sell it every Pomm, Dick and Harry will want to move here.............
and don't forget that a commute to the CBD is a pain in the rear especially if you live down the peninsula........that 0530 feeling, I hated it......better to work on the Coast, Hibiscus that is, rather than in "real" JAFA-land.
Living here is like being on your hols year round, the wet weather is like English hols or weekends in Wales, summer is like the med/Florida and the rest of the year is just good fun

whitesand

I would say try Auckland. Wouldn't live anywhere else in NZ. I know it's awkward for travelling, but if you arrange to live near your work then I'm sure you won't be bored here.

scrubbedexpat094

(Note to self) - Stop waxing lyrical about life on THE Peninsula Sorry Lardyl.

Yeah, the commute can be a pain but the ferry is great, although it is known as Little Britain

lardyl

yeah a bloke in Orewa told me that my "brum"-type accent meant I "came from Gulf Harbour"...........

scrubbedexpat094

Though I haven't met any brummies in GH

lardyl

aparently they invade one of the bars on a Sunday to watch the football or something in blue football shirts, odd that as I've as many villa fans as blues fans......he might be confused though as our accents tend to flumox the average Kiwi, unless that were borugh over as a kid from Blighty.

Kiwiprincess

I think the best way to view Auckland is from seat 1A on a departing 737 to Wellington.

Kiwiprincess

Actually I'm joking. Proud Wellingtonian but never really got into the anti auckland thing, although I prefer Wellington.

I think a good way to view Auckland is how a friend of mine suggested to me. She loves the city and will wax lyrical about it like you wouldn't believe. She said that sometimes it is easier to think of it as a sprawling city covering a large mass of area and sometimes simply a large collection of villages (especially in response to any "Auckland does't have a heart" argument). Basically, if you are the kind of person who prefers small close knit places then think of Auckland by it's 'villages'. Don't think of it as the commute from Wiri to Orewa. Think about it as lots of little places having their own heart.

But, if you like the idea that the Auckland metropolitan area has the Waitakeres, the Kaipara Harbour (actually, is that stretching it to say Auckland region?), the Waitemata Harbour and everywhere in between...if you like a place which is spread out then focus on that 'side' of Auckland.

Does that make sense? I suppose it's really more helpful to people unsure about the place.

luvwelly

I visited Auckland (stayed in CBD) for third time this weekend and even though it rained on the second day..I still really liked the hustle and bustle and big city feel. Also saw how great beaches were a 10 minute drive away. The view across the landscape from up the SkyTower was very attractive as we luckily got a clear day.

irnbru14

You neglected to add that "You can't beat Wellington on a good day" or a bad day, or a wet and windy day, or even on a statutory holiday that happens to fall on the weekend kinda day...

Auckland is ok though, once you realise that the city centre is rubbish and get out to the burbs....