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North Vs The South....moved to main forum

North Vs The South....moved to main forum

Old May 25th 2008, 6:12 pm
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Default North Vs The South....moved to main forum

In your opinions which is the better place to live?
The north or the south island?

We are thinking of heading to Dunedin in the SOuth Island once we arrive....

What in your opinions are our chances of us being succesful in finding jobs around or close to this area?
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Old May 25th 2008, 10:22 pm
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Default Re: North Vs The South....

Originally Posted by MrandMrsRayner2B
In your opinions which is the better place to live?
The north or the south island?

We are thinking of heading to Dunedin in the SOuth Island once we arrive....

What in your opinions are our chances of us being succesful in finding jobs around or close to this area?

Hi

On our recent recce we did north and south, prefered south (blenheim), less people, better weather.

Whatt work are you looking for?

Try www.seek.com an aussi and kiwi job site.

hope it helps.

j.j.
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Old May 26th 2008, 8:57 am
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Default Re: North Vs The South....

We went out last August for a look and spent time in both North and South. We preferred the South as less people, more space, easy access to mountains and sea practically wherever you live. Only made it as far south as Oamaru though. Did see a programme on UK TV in Jan - Wanted Down Under and a family tried out a week in Dunedin - they loved it!
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Old May 26th 2008, 5:43 pm
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Default Re: North Vs The South....

Hi,

My Fiance is a Graphic Designer so he will be looking for work in that area and I work as an admin assistant at the moment but previously worked with students who had mental health problems, and hope to get back into something similar eventually.
We thought from this point of view that dunedin was quite a good idea as there is the Otago University near by and I am hopeful of finding some kind of work there.
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Old May 29th 2008, 4:37 am
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Default Re: North Vs The South....

I may be able to help.

I was born and grew up in the North Island, and have lived in the South Island for about 15 years now. I have dual New Zealand/British citizenship thanks to my father, and I lived in the UK for three years in the late eighties/early nineties.

Currently thinking about moving to Canada, but that's a different issue.

North v. South is a complex matter.

Depending on what you do for a living, you may need access to larger populations, in which case, the North may be for you. Wide open spaces aren't a major, as both islands have these.

I should qualify my opinions by saying that I'm a country boy, and don't much like cities or even large towns, of any flavour, wherever they may be.

The South Island is essentially a million people in a land mass about two-thirds the size of Britain, with people, climate, and topography comparable to Scotland.

The North Island is three million people in a land mass about the size of England, with people, climate, and topography comparable to, um, probably England, these days.

The South Island population is about 95% white. The North is about 70% white. New Zealand overall is about 75% white people, 15% Maori, and - roughly - 5% Pacific Islanders and 5% Asians, which in the NZ vernacular means Chinese, rather than Indians. This doesn't mean there are no Indians - there are lots, particularly those of Fijian Indian extraction - but statistically, there aren't many, certainly not outside Auckland.
The North Island is home to 90% of NZ's Maoris, 94% of Pacific Islanders, and 97% of Asians. Of these, most live in, around, or north of, Auckland.

I don't like Auckland. It's big, disparate, ugly, crowded, violent, wet, humid, crime-ridden, polluted, angry, sulky, introspective, self-obsessed, self-important, dirty, poorly-managed, unproductive, and riddled with third-world people and third-world diseases. That's its good side. Aucklanders seem to like it. That probably tells you all you need to know about both it and them.

Auckland has good beaches, great sailing winds, a wealth of shopping, cosmopolitan waterfront, good hospitals, great cafes, not bad schools, good events centres, a good airport, not bad universities and technical institutes, piss-poor roads, dodgy electrical infrastructure, good phone lines, poor public transport, lots of street crime (I felt, and was, much safer in London), horrifically discourteous drivers, and a dysfunctional culture.

Hamilton is boring.

Palmerston North is boring.

Ditto most North Island cities.

Wellington likes to think of itself as cosmopolitan, but it's really too small for that. It's a Capital; and it's cold, wet, and windy, but doesn't have as much crime as most of the rest of the North Island.

Most of the Provincial North, outside the cities, is fairly laid-back, though not necessarily all that safe, particularly in areas with high Maori populations, ie the Far North, the East Cape, Hawke's Bay, Taranaki, and bits of the Waikato.

In the South, Christchurch is the biggest city, population about 400,000. It's a pretty town, well laid out and easy to get around. Dunedin, in my humble opinion, is a dump. Historical and laden with culture, but a dump nonetheless.

Where criminals in the North Island tend to be brown, with dreadlocks, or large motorcycles, or both, in the South they tend to be white, with no hair, or large motorcycles, or both. Dunedin and Christchurch are both quite violent cities.

The real New Zealand, I think, is to be found in the Provincial South; Nelson, the West Coast, Central Otago (where I live), Southland, Canterbury.

People tend to be more laid back, crime is virtually non-existant, the skies are bigger, the scenery is better, and it doesn't rain so much (apart from the West Coast where it rains all the time).

The North tends to be warmer, and wetter, and greener, and flatter, and more humid.

The South tends to be colder, and drier, and browner (is browner a real word?), and lumpier, and less humid.

The South has heaps more snow, and way better skifields, and plenty more of them. The North has more people, and mould, and crime.

Queenstown is very international, not really New Zealand anymore, plenty of international-resort-type-things going on there. Wanaka is not as bad yet, but it's getting that way. Lots of bars and clubs and cafes and skiing and entertainment in either, if you're into that sort of thing.

Otago University and the Medical School are both world-class. Christchurch Airport is good; my pick of the North Island airports would be Hamilton.

I suppose it really comes down to what your priorities and values are, and what you want to do for a living. For my money, they can keep the North Island.
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Old May 29th 2008, 7:11 am
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Default Re: North Vs The South....loved to main forum

I've lived in both islands for about the same length of time and it really depends on what sort of people you are. The North has higher wages and more in the way of art, shows, culture etc but also more expensive housing. Each town has something going for it though and I don't think you can generalise. We loved Auckland. It has everything you need, great beaches and walks and a thriving city, but big traffic jams and a useless public transport sytem.
The South has the scenery, a quiter lifestyle, less people but generally lower pay. Dunedin is a quaint student town, but it is bloody cold and miserable in winter. Sorry, but it is. I've driven from Timaru to Gym competitions with my kids and stayed the night because I was scared to negotiate the hills in the ice. I had a semi trailer jack knife in front of me on the Kilmog. However, it has some nice beaches and great surfing in the summer. It's just that the water isn't warm. :huh
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Old May 29th 2008, 7:35 pm
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Default Re: North Vs The South....loved to main forum

newt......what a great post. Thanks for that.
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Old May 29th 2008, 8:39 pm
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Default Re: North Vs The South....

Newt - Great post - very entertaining
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Old May 29th 2008, 9:53 pm
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Default Re: North Vs The South....loved to main forum

Hey Newt,


That is possibly one of the best posts I have seen on here. Where the hell have you been? Thats your first post and the frankest opinion that I`ve heard. I love it. However, I think that maybe you just lit the blue touch paper so I suggest you stand well back.
Nice one.
Ash
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Old May 29th 2008, 10:25 pm
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Default Re: North Vs The South....loved to main forum

No worries all. If I can cast any light on matters pertaining to these fair isles I will, I'll keep it as objective as I can, or at least declare my prejudices if I can't

Hope somebody can do the same for me re. Canada.

Cheers

RP
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Old May 29th 2008, 10:38 pm
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Default Re: North Vs The South....loved to main forum

Originally Posted by Ash1
Hey Newt,
.........Thats your first post and the frankest opinion that I`ve heard. I love it. However, I think that maybe you just lit the blue touch paper so I suggest you stand well back.
Nice one.
Ash
yeah, I hear the sound of lips being bitten around the NZ side of BE.......TBH, I had to nibble on mine

who's gonna sell the sausages on a stick??
I fancy a pizza............


don't worry Newt its an "in" joke..............no disrespect to you per se.....
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Old May 30th 2008, 3:01 am
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Default Re: North Vs The South....loved to main forum

Originally Posted by lardyl
yeah, I hear the sound of lips being bitten around the NZ side of BE.......TBH, I had to nibble on mine

who's gonna sell the sausages on a stick??
I fancy a pizza............


don't worry Newt its an "in" joke..............no disrespect to you per se.....

I`m going to open a book on who bites first.
Cant believe its taking so long.
Perhaps they are hoping the thread will go off of page one.
Nudge!!!
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Old May 30th 2008, 4:06 am
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Default Re: North Vs The South....moved to main forum

Originally Posted by MrandMrsRayner2B
In your opinions which is the better place to live?
The north or the south island?

We are thinking of heading to Dunedin in the SOuth Island once we arrive....

What in your opinions are our chances of us being succesful in finding jobs around or close to this area?
There seem to be plenty of jobs going around Dunedin at the moment. What line of work are you looking at?

I would recommend Dunedin if you are:

a) looking for a small to mid sized city with excellent facilities
b) wanting it easy to get around and good accessibility
c) OK with a bit of cold in the winter (like in the UK or Europe)
d) like hills
e) looking for a good environment for kids
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Old May 30th 2008, 8:40 am
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Default Re: North Vs The South....moved to main forum

My personal preference would be the north part of the South Island. Nelson and Blenheim have a distinct charm that is lacking elsewhere in NZ.

Unfortunately in my line of work it would be difficult (or involve a massive pay cut) to leave Auckland. At the end of the day that narrows your options.
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Old May 30th 2008, 12:57 pm
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Default Re: North Vs The South....moved to main forum

North Island is the place to live.
South Island is the place to visit.

I don't like Auckland. It's big, disparate, ugly, crowded, violent, wet, humid, crime-ridden, polluted, angry, sulky, introspective, self-obsessed, self-important, dirty, poorly-managed, unproductive, and riddled with third-world people and third-world diseases.
That is a load of bull. Riddled with Third World people? What an ignorant comment! Sounds like something a redneck mainlander would say.

Crowded? You are having a laugh. Spread out yes, but not crowded.

I dare say you are making these comparisons to the small, provincial, hick town where you live in the South.
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