JoannaD

So what is the best thing you have taken with you to New Zealand? After the Captain Pugwash DVD what have you brought with you that has been the best thing not to leave behind? I'm only asking! (this may give me ideas for when we really do come to NZ)

JoannaD

Tooanfrom

WEDGE-LOOT-CABBAGE-SOVS-FOLDING-CRINKLE
Other than that ,nothing really. We are not complete savages and have all manner of shops etc--you can even go on the internet and purchase stuff from abroad--imagine that!

Did I mention attitude? Gotta have some off that (well lots of it)

the turner family

Hi Joanna,
We are still waiting our container to arrive but I would have to say bring everything, especially white goods. Fridges, washing machines and vacuums are really expensive.

We have a friend who has been here two years and her biggest regret is selling all her furniture and buying again here.

Good luck,

Andrea

SarahB

Several things spring to mind......

My computer!!! What a lifeline is it!.... digital camera has been great too.

All my horse riding gear....boots, jods...hat gloves... etc.

My boxes of books.

Kitchen equipment.

3G Mobile Phone from UK as much cheaper there.

Bring as much as you can fit in!!! Believe everyone on here when they say how expensive white good and furniture is here...they aint making it up!!!

patsy88

well for me it was my dog ,and we filled a container with every thing,my hubby took all his tools

CurlyBloke

Bring everything you own! It's not that you can't buy it here, but if you already have it why buy again? The best thing I brough was my digital camera (there ARE more expensive than in the UK) to take lots of pictures of Windy Wellington.

Tim

sky

The kids Lego! thank god we brought it, it kept them happy for weeks in the rental.
Agree with the others bring every mortal thing you possess

livewire

Although you can buy many things here you'll find a some things are wickedly expensive and there are less to choose from, eg books. Bring what you have and stock up on anything you think you might need. I still order stuff through amazon.co.uk, even after adding on the shipping charges some items have been half the price I would have paid here.

The other thing I've noticed is children's shoes. Not found a decent children's shoe shop yet, like Clarkes. Most kids go round in trainers or bare feet so it's not too much of an issue I guess.

If you're an Ikea fan then get what you need from there, there is a company here that will import it for you but you'll pay a lot more for it.

Children's toys, mobile phones, computers cost more too. Certainly worth bringing those with you. Spare parts for your vacuum cleaner may be a good idea, we have a Dyson and have to get the filters from the UK. To buy an equivalent Dyson here would cost around 800-900 dollars.

uk+kiwi

Hi there,

Have heard this one several times. BUT apparantly there are 2 Clarks shops in the Auckland area. I think one is in Epsom, can't recall where the other one is, but when I mentioned the shoe 'issue' to some friends recently over from Epsom, she didn't know what the fuss was about and said, well I've got the choice of 2 Clarks shops closeby.

So see if you can hunt down the one in the Epsom area, and I'll see what I can find out too over e-mail to my friend.

Good luck - Carmen.

uk+kiwi

Hi - Just had an e-mail back from my friend. Try Future Feet - there's one in Ponsonby near the children's bookshop and one in Milford Mall - which can't be that far from you.

Good luck. If you go, would you mind letting me know how good they are in terms of range & prices, as I have already half thought of buying up a few start-rite shoes in a couple of larger sizes for the kids to grow into for future school shoes should we move over next year.

Carmen.

sky

Im pretty sure the kiwis feet survive not having Clarkes shoes, I never wore Clarkes shoes as a child and I have two very normal feet

uk+kiwi

lol! And well put! Personally, I don't think it matters what make they are, as long as they are width fitted. Unless a child has average width feet in which case there's no need for them - could have been you Sky?

Both my children have slim feet so need width fitted ones, as unfitted ones never fit. And even in a very narrow fitting, they both still needed insoles last year! You only have to look at old people's feet to see the problems caused by shoes that don't fit, realise how important fitting is and the huge job feet do throughout our lives, in supporting the whole body.

Personally I'm not a Clarks fan, but absolutely will only buy my children fitted shoes, including trainers. And only leather also. This is an area where I go without to ensure that they have great shoes! Time will tell as to whether I'm doing the right thing. Having said that, fashion is now on our side here as the trend is for shoes that are much more feet-friendly. I can remember squeezing my toes into some rather tightly pointed ends as a teenager!!! Hope they never return!

Tooanfrom

On the subject of shoes--if your kids are like all the Kiwi kids they will only wear shoes for about 3 months of the year. And then they will be jandals.

Forget the narrow width stuff too--no shoes equal broad feet!

uk+kiwi

Yes I know!! That is my hubbie (very pro no shoes at all times, even in cold wet England - aka this weekend with the kids - problem is they always stub their toes!!) and all the other kiwis I've met. And in fact me to some extent since I spent years living overseas, although oddly we wore shoes (sandals) in Summer since the ground was too hot not to. Even managed to fry an egg in the shade - 42 degrees - when I was about 10 years old. Remember it well, since I burnt my feet so many times it wasn't funny.

sky

Me neither
I agree, common sense is all that's needed to look after our kids feet and make sure they are wearing correctly sized leather shoes/trainers.