Snap Shot

[QUOTE=pommychic;10253610] life continues in the northern hemisphere..up there. Xmas is very very different. If you are not a fan of the traditional spirit of Xmas, Xmas carols, the general build up..then nz is for you. I went xmas shopping on a saturday afternoon three weeks before Xmas last year and the place was deserted.. Not many people around, no Xmas lights, feeling or fuss. I did all my shopping in one afternoon and the car park was half empty. Would you find that bliss? Or would you feel a bit gloomy? QUOTE]

Yup, can wholeheartedly agree with that. Last year on the first weekend of December we happened to be in Auckland. After the family duty visit we travelled from the North Shore of Auckland to central Auckland, the Britomart car park to be precise in 22 minutes !

I couldn't believe my eyes ! Three weekends from Christmas and it wasn't bedlam ! Got a parking space easily. Couldn't ignore the heartsink of how uncrowded and unchrismassy it was. There's a bit of, 'oh yeah, that' to NZ Christmas. Fair enough we went to carols by candlelight locally in NZ last year. Candlelight at dusk on on warm December evening. OK, it wasn't to bad. People had their picnics with them too. Sooo many references to December being cold and hearty hot food being served in Christmas carols/songs. I find NZ Christmas in the summer kinda feeling like play acting at Christmas. (The Christmas eve barbeque and jug of Pimms went down well though !)

My husband is a kiwi and says all kiwis want from Christmas is to get away on holiday on Boxing Day.

It's all very well saying most kiwis are not materialistic but, well, the less said the better.

Snap Shot

With regard to the novelty of a new escalator I can't forget the remark of, 'stairs cuzzy' made by an underfloor insulation fitter when he came to our house and saw we had stairs in our two storey house !

Our local shopping centre does not have an escalator as it's all on one level. I actually like this, but hey.

waikatoguy

Boy, do I have some complaints about New Zealand.

1) It's too cold and the sun's too hot.
2) I chose to live in Taihape and there's nothing to do in New Zealand.
3) NZ is like England in the 50's and I don't understand the kiwi culture.
4) NZ is like England in the 50's and I work here as an IT administrator.
5) There's nothing to see in NZ because there aren't as many escalators.
6) I vote for the Green Party and I wish Kiwi's would have more pride in their appearance.
7) NZ's 4.5 mil population is technologically backward and the amount of money they spend winning the America's Cup off the USA 300 mil population is ridiculous.

I may post more stuff when I think of it

waikatoguy

Oh ... I've got another complaint.

8) NZ's economy is in dire shape and it brasses me off no end that the financiers from overseas are investing in the NZ currency making it's value soar to record levels.

PS. I hope you guys read that with the spirit of humour intended. (I'm hiding under the desk now )

Expat Kiwi

waikatoguy

Um ... I think the jokes on you EK. (props for the trouble you spent digging all that up from the archives though)
Ok I'll spell it out. What I wrote above was attempted humour and I actually didn't vote for the Greens. Nor do I think that Kiwis have little pride in their appearance. Nor am I an IT administrator. Nor do I live in Taihape. Nor do I think there is nothing to see in NZ. Nor do I think NZ is like England in the 50s (although I wasn't even alive then, and I'm just guessing) etc etc.

Expat Kiwi

I knew you were joking as soon as you said you worked in IT.

Seriously though, anyone who voted for Key has to have a well developed sense of humour.

sirplug

Are you my wife?!??!??

BEVS

I was .

tweetweet

personally i would go to AUSTRALIA

the telling fact about NZ is that 54000 kiwis left NZ for AUSTRALIA since january to july this year

hazeandsteve

Mate, the same thing happened when BHS opened on the Isle of Wight before we left there. The big difference being that the two hour round trip was from about five miles away because of the traffic.
People are people, novelty always attracts a crowd.

Chick-a-dee

Thanks for all of the comments - definitely food for thought!

I was aware of the higher costs, but hadn't realised how this extended beyond food shopping. Aside from petrol, is there anything that is cheaper in NZ?

Also, can anyone elaborate further on the 'lack of ambition' aspects with regard to employment?

I'm just off to take the kids to play on an escalator!

waikatoguy

In the interests of accuracy, that figure is for the last 12 months, not since january

127luton

Come on guys ...NZ isn't that bad! ... I love driving to work past beautiful scenery... And am at work in a flash! ( due to lack of traffic) it's a lot less stressful here IMO .. And at times we do miss our family... But Skype a lot and that helps! Anyway that's my two penny's worth for the moment!
B. x

Bo-Jangles

I have been reading this board for years and never really gotten this impression from anyone here. Everyone usually cites those old cliches about coming here for a simpler, slower pace of life and for the sake of their kids. Unfortunately we know not what we wish for, as you can't imagine what that means in any tangible way when it is 24/7 for 52 weeks of the year.

The slow pace, she'll be right, mediocre take it or leave it pace of life will get to you if you are not that way inclined already. If you have a bit of pace about you and are a busy 'doing' person with a busy and active mind, who needs to do stuff and get things done then this place will drive you insane.

The shortness of money generally and financial tightness is a big constraint that wears me down. The lack of spontaneity, having to weigh up all the options of affordability drive me bonkers. If you want to invite some friends to go out for a meal, you feel obliged to pick somewhere cheap, or from the entertainment book, there's always debate about the costs, specials, coupons who is paying for what and splitting of hairs over bills or whether we're bringing things. Please can we just go out and do something without having to take all these things into consideration or pack a friggin bag of supplies.


The feeling of being trapped here is immense for me and not being able to get away on holidays for guaranteed sunshine breaks that don't involve catering for yourself and carting everything but the kitchen sink with you make me want to run away to a five star all inclusive caribbean resort.

Yes we too thought we have Fiji and the pacific islands only four hours away but we can't afford the honeymoon prices for a five day self catered break in a backpacker style fale. We thought we would be flitting back and forth to Aussie for great escapes and shopping.

I crave for a fortnight of 'proper' holiday, some different people, traditions, culture, different food, architecture and sight seeing. The thoughts of never having another European holiday in the likes of Italy, Greece and Turkey, never being able to spend a week at the beach chilling and doing nothing but reading a book and eating out makes me very

We were never all that close to immediate family but knowing they are there when you need them or they need you is immeasurable. This gives rise to the added killer, if we could afford a holiday we would feel obliged to come and spend time with friends and family in the UK. We're on a constant guilt trip of missed anniversaries, special birthdays, weddings and events that we wish we could be part of.

It is a hard-knock life as far as I am concerned and just staying alive from one day to the next requires much more thought, planning, effort and input from me. Nothing is easy and I have far less free time than I ever had in the UK.